The Rabbit Hole

I am going to give you a word. I would like you to tell me the first thing that pops into your head when I give it to you. Your response can be another word, it can be a phrase, or a picture if that's what you immediately think of. Don't think about it, just give me the first thing that comes to you.

All clear on what you're supposed to do? All right then. Clear your mind and here we go.












Your word is Raiden.

Explain to me what is fandom to other, normal people. I have this idea that I am insane. It's probably a correct appraisal of my behavior, but all the same, I'd like to know that I'm not alone.

[Poll #1192336]

I just needed to poll. I realize I'm currently fascinated and frustrated by fandoms for two works that really are problematic to be fannish about aside from just enjoying the canon product. One is Battlestar Galactica; the other is Iron Man. The former is hard to enjoy the fan off-shoots because NOTHING is as good as the show. Reading the scripts from the show isn't as good as the show because the show flies less on the words and plot than it does on the acting that makes it happen. The latter is problematic because, gosh darn it, it's pretty near perfect and there's hardly a thing to add or subtract from it, dramatically. (Which makes me very scared for the sequel prospects, but we'll see.)

This is really annoying, in case I haven't made that clear. Stupid fandoms. They're eating my life and giving almost nothing back. And, on top of that, I have trouble mustering interest in anything else. I have friggin' Doctor Who--AND IT'S GOOD!--that I'm not watching because I'm moping around waiting for next Friday (and the inevitable DVD release of Iron Man since I am too po' to go back to the theater again). I thought maybe I'd decompressed after a couple of days with no BSG on the horizon. Nope. I'm back to refreshing TWoP every hour in hopes of a recap update. GAAAAhHHHHH.

How do other people get un-obsessed with fandom? HELP ME!!

First off: ( This is absolutely correct and no surprise at all. )

( This one means less to me. )

Also, in case anyone ever doubted, since this came up in the car yesterday, I am ISTJ (sometimes ISTP). This is not relevant except that, as a very strong S, I completely do not believe that anyone ever is or could be an N, especially not with the ridiculous example my older sister gave me (if you have an apple and are asked to describe it, Sensing-types go "It's an apple, round and green," and, supposedly, Intuition-types go "Ooh, original sin."). I just could not believe it happens. Cheerfully, kent_allard_jr proved me wrong. For all three of you who don't know what I'm talking about, click on this link. It's bullshit, but it's fun bullshit.

Speaking of things we discussed on the car trip to being consumer whores: music. Listening to the radio on the weekend continues to be an adventure not always worth having. The two stations I think have reliably or at least predominantly good music (Q104.3 and K-Rock 92.3) are more a mixed bag, especially on a Sunday night. It led to discussions of music all the parties involved liked at all stages of their lives to this point. Things we listened to before we had the choice (what our parents played for us as kids); music we explored when choice first became an option (middle school to early high school years); music we actually purchased and pursued in concerts and on the radio (high school and college); and music we have come to appreciate after the years of easy access to others' catalogues (post-college).

Not surprisingly, there were many choices regretted ("Oh God, I own the first Spice Girls album!" "I went to see Kenny G in concert!"). There were disappointments ("Whatever happened to [fill in the blank]?" "I can't believe the last three albums [fill in the blank] released were so bad." "I can't believe I missed [fill in the blank] in concert!"). But there was an overall trend and commonality to each story in that every one had, at some point either in college or just after, stopped actively acquiring new music that he or she liked with the same intensity as anything they picked up before that point. My general sense is that, with few exceptions to prove the rule, this is a very typical experience. But because I don't have a permanent account for nothing, I present: A POLL!

[Poll #1030363]

I realize that 3, 5, and 7 are sort of related, but they each have their own thing to contribute, and I bet some of you will be surprised how differently you might answer them. Enjoy!

Who likes sports?

Now, be honest, no sniggering or rolling eyes over me asking that question. I know many of you from alterna-hobbies, I have no clue who among you is really an athlete in disguise. This is a perfect excuse to break out the POLL:

[Poll #825840]

Why I want to know is that it's started to be football season again. Yes, the pros have been playing for a few weekends now, but it's college that worries me. Mostly, it's because I spend the next four months grinding my teeth as my uncles talk trash about FSU, University of Florida, and University of Miami when, guaranteed, only one of them ever seems to do well, and even then it still bores the crap out of me. There are e-mails about kickers and quarterbacks; guys getting into college who are too dumb to apply without it being pre-done for them with the proviso they play ball; criminals attending various schools; who owes who scotch/cigars over which team losing some game...you name it, they kvetch about it.

I'd like to get some more positive sports impressions from my friends who aren't rabid sports fanatics. Fans, sure, but fanatics, mercifully not. Why did you play? Why do you watch (if you do)? What are the attractions either way? I mean, having played, I understand the attraction of playing, but there are very few non-live events (as in, TrinityVixen has a ticket and can ogle the rear ends of a few footy players in person, live) that I've ever enjoyed sitting down and watching. My greatest triumph was delaying onset of football watching at Thanksgiving by two hours when my sister, my brother-in-law, and myself went, "Uh oh, Prizoner of Azkaban is almost over and we said they could have the TV when we were done....but what if we just restarted the movie and didn't tell them?" (and we did, and my dad commented, "Is this movie still on? It's a long movie!")

Sound off, ye friends upon my list.