December Meme - 7th

Banner by the wonderfully talented and generous meus_venator

Sorry, I'm behind a couple of days. Couldn't get on LJ at all yesterday so am posting a few answers today.

For thursdaysisters:

What kind of music do you listen to when you're writing fic?

My set-up for writing fic and, indeed all my online and computer activities, is in my lounge-room sitting in my comfy recliner with my laptop on my knee (or if Sam decides he wants to sit on my knee, then the laptop goes on the wide, flat arm of the recliner and I try to type awkwardly with one finger on my left hand).

I always have the tv on, even just for background noise, so I'm usually watching (or at least half-listening to) something while I'm writing, so I hardly ever listen to music when I write. I'm mostly hearing SPN (as I'm constantly re-watching it) or Big Bang Theory, Castle, Bones, NCIS:LA, or in winter it's Aussie Rules football and cricket in summer. Usually I prefer shows and eps that I've seen before, so I don't have to be always looking at the screen.

I listen to music mostly in the car while driving or taking Sam for his daily walks which can last well over two hours. Most of my favourite music is from my teens back in the '80's so a lot of pop and soft rock (Bon Jovi, A-Ha, Duran Duran, Chris De Burgh) or earlier (Abba, Neil Diamond, Glenn Campbell, Queen) with only a few modern bands and artists (Savage Garden, Garth Brooks, John Barrowman) and I find I get a lot of my best fic ideas while out walking and have solved a lot of writer's block issues then as well.

That said, music still influences my fic. A big-bang I've been working on for the last couple of years is inspired by Bonnie Tyler's 'Holding Out For A Hero.' so I've listened to that song more times than I can count, especially when I'm stuck on where to take a character or plot point. It really helps me get back into the rhythm and emotion that I want to write.

December Meme - 8th

Banner by meus_venator

For wings128 :

How did you discover fandom and livejournal?

Wow, this was a very interesting wander down memory's lane for me. Until I actually looked, I had thought I'd found LJ and set up my journal after discovering SPN but it was the opposite.

I set up my LJ on May 8, 2008 as a way to document my first overseas trip. I was flying to LA in Nov of 2008 to go to a Farscape con and wanted to record all the details and trials and joys of planning such a big trip, similar to what I'm doing for my big SPN con adventure next year. I don't even remember how I found LJ, probably just searched for 'journals' or more likely 'free journals' and I guess LJ was near the top of the list.

I used it randomly over the next few months, mailnly posting about RL trials and tribulations, (almost buying my first home, only to lose it when I lost my job, getting my ears pierced, etc) and I posted one little snippet of Mulder/CSM from a fic series I was working on back then.

I didn't discover Supernatural (show or fandom) until almost a year later after hearing about it on a podcast I listened to each week. I had heard of SPN and had even glanced at some eps as I channel-surfed but it never really caught my eye or attention. Well one of the podcasters issued a challenge to listeners who hadn't watched SPN to watch at least until ep 9 of season 1 (Home) and that if they weren't hooked by then she would stop bugging people about it. So I took the challenge, aquired *coughcoughdowloadedcoughcough* the first 9 eps and began watching. Well I didn't need to see Home, I was hooked by the end of the Pilot and the obsessed Sam!girl that I am now by the scene in Skin where Sam is tied up in the shifter's lair. OMG, how freaking HOT is that scene???

The very next day I went and bought the first 3 seasons on DVD for some outrageous price (I think over $100 each, dvd's were bloody expensive in Australia back then) and mainlined them in about a week. I also started watching mid season 4 on local TV (Family Remains was the first ep I saw, I remember the end scene with Dean telling Sam about hell) and *acquiring* current eps as they showed in the US.

My first SPN related post on LJ wasn't until Nov 21st, 2009. I have no idea why there was such long gap between when I started watching the show and mentioning it on my LJ. Maybe I was still so new and jsut caught up with watching that I didn't feel the need to reach out and connect with other fans. Anyways, in Nov I filled out an SPN 'hellatus' friending meme and looking back at my answers, I was reading a lot of fic apparently and wanted more of it (bottom and submissive!Sam please and where is all the Sam/other fic??) My fav character was Sam (geeee, what a surprise!!! heheheee) and, as now, was trying my best to avoid spoilers.

Thanks to that meme, I was friended by some very delightful fans and fellow Sam!girls and my adventure in fandom truly began. I started commenting on other posts and started posting my own fic and generally just rolling around in all the good stuff that Fandom is and provides.

I just want to take this opportunity to thank every single fan and LJ'er who has friended me, commented on a post or fic, been there during all the good and bad times, both in Fandom and RL. All my fellow Sam!girls and JaredLadies and Dean!girls and JensenLadies and of course all you bi-bro fans out there. We may not always agree with each other but 10 years and 204 eps later, we are still here and interacting and supporting each other.

I love you all so very much!!!!!!!!!