I don’t think I’ve ever done an introductory post before, seeing as I’ve known most of my flist for years and have survived internet kerfuffles, raging forest fires, and DoubleMeat Palace viewings with them. But I recently gained a few new flisties from a Merlin fandom friending meme and apparently an introductory post after that is what All the Cool Kids Do.
So if you know this stuff already, feel free to move along.
I am [bleep]-year old woman currently living in Tempe, Arizona, USA. I day-job as a software developer and write fiction obsessively the rest of the time. Most of my squandered youth was spent getting various college degrees, which include experimental psychology, philosophy, and computer science. I have lived in Iowa, Arizona, Texas, California, Quebec, Nebraska, California again, and Arizona again over the years (California girl originally). I have worked on and off in software development jobs, and was a college professor for three years before I realized I didn’t have the personality for it.
I entered the world of online fandom in 1998 shortly after season 2 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended. I was looking anxiously for spoilers to reassure me that Angel wasn’t gone forever, and stumbled across the Bronze Posting Board at Buffy.com, the official WB network BtVS site. I posted there primarily during season 3 of BtVS, and was known for pointing out random philosophy references in the episodes we discussed.
One day, some of my friends on the board suggested I start listing them on a webpage. I sort of suck at brevity. “All Things Philosophical on BtVS/AtS” was born on January 1st, 1999. I posted cross-referenced episode analyses on the site for about a year and a half, and interacted with other fans via the Bronze board and emails with readers of my site. It was those email correspondents who urged me to start a discussion board for my site so they could talk to each other.
The ATPo board is still around, though it doesn’t get much action these days since I added the Captcha to get rid of spammers. Back in its hey-day from June of 2000 to Spring of 2004, it was the place BtVS and Angel: the Series fans went to when they wanted to discuss show at a deeper level than “OMG Angle is so hot and needs to have SeXX0rs with Spike!!!!” Essays posted there brought in philosophy, psychology, politics, critical theory, literary analysis, you name it, somebody did it. The archives are a good read.
I joined LiveJournal in April of 2003 when ATPoers started coming over here. Alas, LJ sort of spelled the demise of the board, because it was frankly a better forum for getting to know each other on a personal basis, and not feeling the need to stay “on topic.” But that’s also when the ATPoers really started to become friends and started getting together once a year in various cities across North America to hang out, see the sights, have BtVS/AtS marathons, drink, and sing “Once More With Feeling” chanties into the wee hours.
BtVS/AtS is really the only “fandom” I’ve been a part of. I am a Trekkie from way, way back, but I never felt the need to make my fannishness social. I actually disdained the idea of going to a convention. I have shamelessly forced friends to sit through marathons of many a TV/film series I love just so I can experience it for the first time all over again, but that’s about as “social” as my love for these stories typically gets.
Well, that, and writing essays in my LJ so I can interact with whomever may care to reply. I have tags on on BtVS: BtVS; Angel, Angel Reviews; as well as Harry Potter; Highlander; The L Word; Lost; Star Wars; Terminator; The Dresden Files; Star Trek; and, of late, Merlin and Once Upon a Time.
I have also posted thoughts on various books and movies, literary themes, random philosophical stuff, and the writing process.
I’m not much of a fan fic reader, although I have dabbled in writing it, both solo and as part of a group:
The Destroyer
Angel: the Series Season 6 (incomplete)
The Fanged Four
Well, that’s enough shameless self-promotion for one day.
Author Nancy E. Shaffer 
I totally was Buffy fan back in HS. I still am. I just wasn’t that involved in the fandom
But back then I didn’t have the internet either.
Nice to meet you 😀
I totally was Buffy fan back in HS. I still am. I just wasn’t that involved in the fandom
But back then I didn’t have the internet either.
Nice to meet you 😀
I used to lurk on the ATPo board back in its heyday. Sometimes I think it was the only thing that kept me sane during a particularly bad time at work so many belated thanks for that 🙂
I used to lurk on the ATPo board back in its heyday. Sometimes I think it was the only thing that kept me sane during a particularly bad time at work so many belated thanks for that 🙂
Aww, Buffy.
Aww, Buffy.
Hee, great icon! I love crossover icons.
Hee, great icon! I love crossover icons.
Thanks. It was irresistible 🙂
Thanks. It was irresistible 🙂
I used to have one of Faith in Bring It On (for me she was Faith anyway) with ‘Cheerleader saves the world’ on it. I was pretty proud of that one.
I used to have one of Faith in Bring It On (for me she was Faith anyway) with ‘Cheerleader saves the world’ on it. I was pretty proud of that one.
I had just started to really “have the internet” around 1995/96, so it was a new venture for me. And more comfortable than meeting people at actual physical venues. Besides the fact that so few people I met in RL were Buffy fans. That was disappointing. So yay for the interwebs.
I had just started to really “have the internet” around 1995/96, so it was a new venture for me. And more comfortable than meeting people at actual physical venues. Besides the fact that so few people I met in RL were Buffy fans. That was disappointing. So yay for the interwebs.
I am always glad to hear those stories.
I am always glad to hear those stories.
*sniff* *sob*
::iz nostalgic::
*sniff* *sob*
::iz nostalgic::
Oh Buffy, how I miss you. I just posted how I’ve been watching old Xena episodes on Netflix, but I’ve slapped Buffy and Angel into my instant queue as well. 😀
Ooooh and Highlander too! Awesome!
Oh Buffy, how I miss you. I just posted how I’ve been watching old Xena episodes on Netflix, but I’ve slapped Buffy and Angel into my instant queue as well. 😀
Ooooh and Highlander too! Awesome!
I am forcing my GF through the entire six season of Highlander at the moment, plus H: the Raven. After that: Merlin!
I am forcing my GF through the entire six season of Highlander at the moment, plus H: the Raven. After that: Merlin!
Highlander was actually the first TV series my Mom bought on DVD (back when little sis and I were teens). So much goodness.
Aw, Richie icon!
Highlander was actually the first TV series my Mom bought on DVD (back when little sis and I were teens). So much goodness.
Aw, Richie icon!
Highlander was one of the first ones I bought on DVD, too, because it was cheaper than Star Trek. Of course my first DVD ever was Buffy Season 1.
Highlander was one of the first ones I bought on DVD, too, because it was cheaper than Star Trek. Of course my first DVD ever was Buffy Season 1.
Now I’m feeling all nostalgic for the glory days of ATPO…
I watched an episode of Buffy last night (the ‘my will be done’ ep from S4). Ah, show, I do miss you.
Have you heard anything more about the possibility of another meet?
Now I’m feeling all nostalgic for the glory days of ATPO…
I watched an episode of Buffy last night (the ‘my will be done’ ep from S4). Ah, show, I do miss you.
Have you heard anything more about the possibility of another meet?
We discussed it over at . But it’s not going to happen unless someone steps up to wear the tiara and make the plans for everyone else. Alas.
We discussed it over at . But it’s not going to happen unless someone steps up to wear the tiara and make the plans for everyone else. Alas.