apckrfan's Xanga

Can't Stop the Serenity 08 AKA apckrfan's Fangirl weekend

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:21:46 GMT

Just dropping in to give an update on my time at Can’t Stop the Serenity 08 in Minneapolis/St. Paul this past weekend.

Saturday afternoon we went to the “shindig” which consisted of a parasol painting party and catered lunch. Steph had a great time painting her parasol. Me, I’m artistically challenged so I had really 2 sets of swirls on mine instead of 1 set of long ones. They asked me if I wanted to do another one since they had way extra parasols, so I said sure. And I painted the panels on that one green & yellow *s* They played the first disc of Firefly during the luncheon (they had the disc there because it contained the episode with the scenes of Kaylee holding said Parasol) and we were serenaded with the soundtrack from Serenity during the 3 hours we were there. There were some very artistic people there. One guy painted Snoopy on his dog house on his parasol. It was cute (I’m a *huge* Snoopy fan). Another guy painted “symbols” on each panel – a leaf for Wash, the parasol spirals for Kaylee, the hat for Jayne, etc. It was very fun to see. Steph’s turned out very nice.

After the luncheon, Steph found a theater where Sex and the City was playing and we went to see that. Very glad I saw it, even if I had to shell out $17 for tickets between the two of us (I’m spoiled in Fargo, tix aren’t that expensive here). The theatre wasn’t too packed, and there were only 4 men in attendance. Other than the woman sitting behind us criticizing the entire movie, I enjoyed it. I was beginning to wonder why she was even there because clearly she wasn't a fan. Carrie's hat wasn't right, Big wasn't behaving right, an embarrassing scene involving Charlotte wasn't funny at all - on and on she went.

After Sex and the City we head over to Riverview Theatre where Serenity was being shown. The package for the amount I’d contributed included 2 T-shirts, 2 posters, 1 keychain, and raffle tickets. My name was also in the program as a companion *heh* If I’d been a business (or had a published book) I could have had an ad, too. We also got a little goodie bag for being one of the first 100 through the door. These bags included a pen, a EqualityNow wristband, a granola bar and a couple of stickers. We were greeted when walking in by one of the women from the shindig playing violin. She played pretty much the entire time up until the movie started at 11:30pm.

While we didn’t win anything with the raffle (there were some pretty neat prizes, too, including a Spike puppet) we did win the auction for a MN Firefly CSTS T-shirt autographed by Adam Baldwin. Stephanie was kind of excited about that. They also had a Firefly DVD set autographed by Adam.

I’ve never seen Serenity in a theatre full of Joss fans before. Seeing it here in Fargo, I don’t think many of the audience knew it was anything but another sci-fi movie. So, some of the backstory went over their heads obviously. So, it was fun to laugh with an audience (and interesting to hear where there were a few laughs with no others or where you laughed and others didn’t). And it was fun to cry with an audience and know that even though we knew what was going to happen to Wash it was still shocking. There was a theatre full of gasps at the scene. As if we all expected that THIS time it wouldn’t happen. And the theatre was full. It was great to see that many people coming out.

There was a funny little introduction by Nathan, thanking us. There was a short movie with a browncoat dressed as Mal explaining just what Can't Stop the Serenity and Equality Now is about. And they showed Joss' speech from ’06 with an introduction by Meryl Streep. Kind of a punch in the gut to hear him being introduced as the guy who was going to be bringing us Wonder Woman. There were lots of groans from the audience at that.

We had a late breakfast with a college buddy of mine and his wife Sunday morning and then we were on our way back to Fargo. Overall, it was a great experience. The people I met and talked to were fun. It was fun, too, to see the different “types” of people that were there. Young and old, geeky and not so geeky *s*. It was fun.

Discovered at the shindig luncheon that there actually are people who like Firefly & Serenity who haven’t given Buffy and/or Angel a shot. One of the volunteers asked if anyone wanted to hear Once More With Feeling after the second play through of the Serenity soundtrack.

It was a relatively costly weekend, but well worth it. Equality Now is an organization I contribute to anyway, so I got to have some fun and get some goodies out of the deal while supporting it. Interestingly, according to 2007 number-crunching, Minneapolis contributed the most of all the cities listed.

Steph had a good time. When I told her what we were doing she just kind of rolled her eyes and didn’t seem too thrilled. Of course doing something geeky with her mother is beneath her at 17. But once we were there, she had a blast. Even Lee commented on how good her mood was last night when we got back.

Fic Updates through 11/20/07

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 13:35:14 GMT

As usual, if these links don’t come through you can access them at my main fan fiction page: www.phantomroses.com/apckrfan/fanfic and then clicking on the appropriate fandoms. All of these fics are at my LiveJournal fic journal and my Yahoo Groups fic group if you prefer. Below you will find all the updates since my last update post Oct. 16:

Outside Is the Storm
Through Part 9 added Oct. 21, 2007 and is a WIP. This is a Heroes fic. Spoilers through all of Season 1. Knowing her grandmother won't be much help, Claire turns to the only other person in the Petrelli mansion that could comfort her not knowing what's become of Peter & Nathan. This is a Claire/The Haitian fic.

One Foot On the Brake
Added Oct. 26, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Heroes/Drive crossover written for LJ community rare_heroes challenge #4: crossovers and 50timesimetyou prompt #42: Shadows. Furious at discovering his marriage was a sham, Alex Tully speeds along the highway, encountering someone in the middle of the road. This contains spoilers through Heroes Fight or Flight (2x04) and all of Drive including post series interviews given by creators with some insight as to what would have happened had the series gotten more than 4 (bloody FOX!) episodes.

Sun in the Day, Moon At Night
Added Nov. 09, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fic written for the IWRY 2007 Marathon and LJ community 50harlequins prompt #33: Long-Separated Lovers. Angel goes in search of Buffy when he sees her in the tabloids one too many times. This is pure, unadulterated fluff! This is a Buffy/Angel fic. This is written for IWRY Fic Marathon 2007. It will also fulfill LJ community 50harlequins #33: Long-Separated Lovers

See How High She Flies
Added Nov. 09, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Heroes fic set after Kindred (2x03). After visiting with Noah, the Haitian goes in search of Claire and finds her enjoying herself with someone who isn't him. This is a Claire/Haitian fic (with shades of Claire/West) and is written for LJ community heroes50 Prompt #38-Wind.

The Light and the Heat
Through Part 3 Added Nov. 16, 2007 and is a WIP. This is a Heroes fic. Claire feels like she's being watched and is unprepared for the things she feels and what is revealed when she finally sees who it is. This is a Claire/Adam fic with definite spoilers through Four Months Ago (2x08). Spoilers for future episodes as more information about Adam is revealed may be involved.

Spark the Fire In Me
Added Nov. 18, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Heroes and Firefly crossover with spoilers through Four Months Ago and all of Firefly the series. Mal wakes up in his bed with a companion he doesn't remember going to bed with to begin with. This is rated FRAO and is written for LJ community rare_heroes fic challenge #4: crossovers. It will also fulfill 50timesmetyou prompt #17: naked.

Happy reading! And I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 23:35:32 GMT

If these links don’t come through you can access them at my main fan fiction page: www.phantomroses.com/apckrfan/fanfic and then clicking on the appropriate fandoms. All of these fics are at my LiveJournal fic journal and my Yahoo Groups fic group if you prefer. Below you will find all the updates since August 27:

Anne-onymous
Part 15 added Aug. 29, 2007 and is complete. This is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel fic with spoilers through Anne, pretty AU after that though canon events are referred to. Buffy never goes back to Sunnydale after Anne and ends up married, knee deep in the evil she hoped to escape. This begins during Season 3 of Buffy, but moves in Season 4 of Buffy/Season 1 of Angel. This is a Buffy/Lindsey and Buffy/Angel fic.

She's the End of the Rainbow
Added Aug. 29, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Heroes future fic with general spoilers through Season 1. Claire has to come to grips with the fact her mother cannot attend her wedding. It's more or less a gen fic, but does fall under the Claire/the Haitian 'ship umbrella.

Living On the Edge
Part 4 added Sept. 4, 2007 and is complete. This is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel fic with spoilers through Restless (BtVS 4x22) and To Shanshu In LA (Angel 1x22). Buffy meets a freelance vampire hunter while at her dad's on summer break after defeating Adam and The Initiative. She doesn't realize befriending him is going to bring her right back into Angel's world when they've been so careful about avoiding one another. This is a Buffy/Gunn fic.

Desert Sunlight
Through Part 9 added Sept. 19, 2007 and is a WIP. This is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Medium crossover. Buffy is in Phoenix in search of a slayer and encounters someone who seems to know who she is. This is a crossover with MEDIUM. Spoilers for all of Buffy (Season 7 for sure, possibly Season 8 comics) and Medium general spoilers, though this would really take place in about Season 1 of Medium (though I'm using information obtained in Season 2's Knowing Her 2x19 for background on Lee). This will be a Buffy/Lee Scanlon fic.

Holding Out For Heroes
Added Sept. 14, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Firefly fic with spoilers through Jaynestown. His talk with Mal leaving him unsatisfied, Jayne is unable to get over the idea that someone took a bullet for him. He pays River a visit not wanting to admit to anyone else on the ship how much it bothers him. This is a River/Jayne fic and is written for the 30_fluffs LJ community: Prompt #14-lies; trickery with bonus challenge: weapons.

And You Wanna Run
Added Sept. 15, 2007 and is complete in 1 part. This is a Dexter fic with spoilers through Return To Sender (1x06). Rita's enjoying the new woman she's slowly becoming. She just hopes it's not too late to set a good example for Astor and Cody. This is a gen fic with Rita/Dexter implied. This fic is written for my friend Katie who requested some Dexter fic.

The One I Want To Go Through Time With
Through Part 2 added Sept. 19, 2007 and is a WIP. This is a The Breakfast Club fic and is set five years after the movie. On the verge of becoming engaged, home for a visit Claire takes Richard Vernon's words to heart and visits John Bender five years later out of morbid curiosity. This is based on the following quote by Richard Vernon: You think he's funny? You think this is cute? You think he's "bitchin," is that it? Let me tell you something. Look at him - he's a bum. You want to see something funny? You go visit John Bender in five years. You'll see how goddamned funny he is. This is a Claire/John fic.

ATTN: eBook readers (particularly of romance)

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 02:46:03 GMT

I’m forwarding this on, I know we have a ton of readers out there. I think what this publisher is doing is great, and I admit I bought a copy of the book. The book is called: Clutch Me if You Can (1-60186-149-4) By Rochelle Rae Hensler and you can find it at: http://www.triskelionpublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=1594 or just go to www.triskelionpublishing.com and search for the title.

For those who don’t know, my mom died of ovarian cancer 15 years ago, and while I can’t do anything to help this woman I could spend $6 to maybe help give her some good news during this time. It’s currently on the best sellers list, so I’m not the only one shopping for it! And if you don’t read romance, maybe you know someone who does???

Susan

Ladies,

The promo I sent out earlier today is for a young writer who has just released her first two books that were scheduled to released in late fall and early winter.

Rochelle has been upbeat and optimistic while battling ovarian cancer for several years. About six weeks ago she was told that there was nothing more the doctors could do and she needed to settle her affairs quickly. One of the first things she did was email Triskelion and tell them her latest test results. They moved her release date up to right now so she could see her books published before she died. Damned good publisher in my opinion.

As a favor I'd like to ask you all to help this fellow author and dig into your already stretched wallets for $5.99 and buy a copy of her book. Trisk has made special arrangements to tell Rochelle her sales I believe weekly if not daily. It would be a nice thing to do for a stranger.

Thanks for letting me babble on. I'm just a little upset by the news.

Sharon

Little Girls Getting Grown Up

Sat, 24 Mar 2007 01:15:58 GMT

My daughter has been asked to prom by the senior guy she's been spending time with - in school up until now. They met during the school's theatrical production and since then he's been sitting with her at lunch, meeting her at her locker, walking her to class, etc.

I'm thrilled for her, of course, but there's a part of me that sure wishes they'd started out with something a little smaller for a first date - HER first date. And, I guess, now that the ice of a date has been broken maybe he will ask her out for something between now and then.

She has her jaw surgery this coming Tuesday. It's corrective and part of her orthodontics, correcting her underbite. Six weeks of no solid foods, though. At least they don't wire jaws shut anymore, that would kind of suck for prom pictures. I just hope the swelling is done by prom (3 weeks after surgery).

The papers for her court appearance came today, from the incident earlier in the month I eluded to *heh* My cousin, who's the state's attorney here, seems to think she'll get community service or something and as long as she completes it she won't even have this on her record. I hope so, but I also hope that she learned something and won't do this again.

(This incident along with information on my step-dad's very sudden passing were writting about in my LJ, you can read the post here if you'd like: http://apckrfan2.livejournal.com/740.html

I told her that I won't forbid her from seeing the friend she was with when the situation occurred. I know from personal experience the more my mother said "No" to somebody I wanted to hang with, the more I wanted to hang with them and lying ensued. I really don't want her to feel she has to lie to me. I'd rather know where she is and who's she's with even if I don't care for the person. I did suggest, however, that if what happened was the type of thing her friend encouraged her to do or brought out of her, she might want to rethink who her friends are.

Overall, she's a good kid. She & my husband butt heads sometimes, but my step-dad and I did, too. We were both stubborn and testing our respective limits. I'd never had a steady dad figure before my mom married him when I was 16. Stephanie hasn't really either. Overall, I just let them sort through things unless they both piss me off then I tell them both to shut up. This doesn't happen often, but when it does it's usually at Sunday dinner when we're trying to have a nice meal. I don't like bickering at the dinner table, might as well not eat together.

Anyway, have a good weekend!
Susan

How many have your name?

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 06:00:32 GMT

This is for my maiden name:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are:
667
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

This is for my married name:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are:
46
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

ADVANCED REVIEW: Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Season 8) #1 (SPOILERS)

Tue, 20 Feb 2007 16:10:26 GMT

Please pardon the cross posting, but I haven’t seen too much information about this being passed around on the fic lists and since according to Joss these comics will be canon (unlike the Angel comics that are currently being put out), I figured I’d pass the info. along. Feel free to forward it on to any person or group you think would be interested. You can see a preview of the first 5 pages: http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/preview.php?theid=14-111&p=1 Jo Chen is the illustrator working on the comics, you can see the audition pencil drawings of Buffy that got her the gig at: http://www.jo-chen.com ~Susan

http://forevergeek.com/comics/advanced_review_buffy_the_vampire_slayer_season_8_1.php

ADVANCED REVIEW: Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Season 8) #1 (SPOILERS)

Thanks to the fine folks at Dark Horse Comics, we got a chance to take an advanced look at Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Season 8) #1 "The Long Way Home - Part One".

This new Buffy comic book series picks up where the last season of the show left off. Joss Whedon is back at the helm, and a great deal has changed since we last saw Buffy and company standing at the edge of a Hellmouth consumed Sunnydale wonder what would happen next...

Just a WARNING: Thar Be Spoilers AHEAD!

I'll do the best I can not to spoil the book for you, but if a revealing sentence or two creeps out along the way...you have been warned...

This first issue, like most comics these days, feels like the first act of the the first episode of Season 8...and in some ways that can be disappointing. Mainly because we get a lot of necessary set-up in these 24 pages, but it's not what I would call a completely satisfying read. Having said that...it is a very good first act, and I'm sure when the first four issues are read in one sitting (where the set up and pay off can be read together) it will be a much more satisfying experience.

Now, let's dig a little deeper here...

The Story

Joss Whedon is in full form here, although the exposition at the beginning of the issue slows him down just a bit. You can see the first five pages on Dark Horse's official site, and I have to say, those first 5 pages don't exactly feel like the Buffy we know and love, but starting on page 6, things start to feel more familiar.

In this issue we get an understanding of where Buffy, Xander, and Dawn have been since we've seen them last, and we finally get to see Xander taking on the role that I'd hoped he would play since the series was first running on television in the 90s. His dialog is the first that truly felt familiar, and the first time I could hear the actor's voice in my head delivering the words.

As soon as he and Buffy begin interacting, she began to "sound" normal again too, and suddenly everything felt right. Buffy and Dawn's interaction (dealing with Dawn's "big"
problem with a former boyfriend) also felt completely like the character's we've known and loved...although I do hope these two either stop bickering with each other soon...or Dawn finds somewhere else to be. I was tired of them fighting in Season 6. We're in Season 8 now. Enough already.

We also see in this issue the beginning of a mystery that I'm sure will be part of the overall arc of Season 8, and the Military's not-so surprising reaction to Sunnydale being wiped off the map. Again, lots of set up...but good stuff.

Finally, the issue comes to a close with that good-old first commercial break reveal of an old "friend" that I'm sure will be scurrying up trouble next issue.

The Art

The Art team of Georges Jeanty (pencils), Andy Owens (inks), Dave Stewart (Colors), and Richard Starkings (Letters...that's RIGHT baby - Lettering is ART and if you don't think so...you try doing it...that'll change your tune but quick!...ahem...sorry...) are all in top form here. The characters look exactly the way I would want them to in comic form. I hate it when characters in comics don't look ANYTHING like their on-screen counterparts...and I hate it EVEN MORE when the characters are obviously traced from screenshots of the actual shows (I'm looking at YOU IDW)...but the artwork in this book is the perfect mix of comic book art and the actor's faces. You can tell who is who by looking at them, but they dont' look so much like the actors that they appear stiff of distracting.

I hope this artistic team has a long run on this book. The artwork works on every level, and I can't wait to see more.

The Verdict

So...in a nutshell, if you're a Buffy fan AT ALL...this is a MUST BUY from the word GO...but don't get yourself over excited about it. It's a very good start, but it is just that...a START.
Don't expect anything more than that, and you should be very happy when you plop down your $2.99.

Final Score: 7 out of 10 - Add it to the Pull List

In 1969...

Tue, 20 Feb 2007 14:42:37 GMT

In 1969 (the year you were born)

Richard Nixon becomes president of the US

Mary Jo Kopechne is killed when Senator Edward Kennedy veers off a narrow bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, crashing into a pond

US astronaut Neil Armstrong becomes the first person to set foot on the moon while commanding the Apollo 11 mission

Breathtaking pictures of Mars are transmitted to earth from NASA's Mariner 7 as it passes within 2,200 miles of the Red Planet

Woodstock music festival begins in upstate NY, featuring performances by Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, and many more artists

250,000 Vietnam War protestors gather in Washington for the largest anti-war rally in US history

The first draft lottery since WWII is held in New York City

The Beatles' performance in public for the last time, on the roof of Apple Records

The Stonewall riots mark the start of the modern gay rights movement in the US

Marilyn Manson, Jennifer Aniston, Renee Zellweger, Edward Norton, Christian Slater, and Linus Torvalds are born

New York Mets win the World Series

New York Jets win Superbowl III

Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup

Sesame Street premieres

Midnight Cowboy wins the Oscar for best picture

David Bowie's debut single, "Space Oddity", becomes a huge hit - in part due to the US landing on the moon

Sharon Tate & the LaBiancas are found murdered by Charles Manson & "family"

What Happened the Year You Were Born?

Big Storm Heading For Florida s

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 05:46:38 GMT

I know with a user name of apckrfan it seems contrary to my favoritism to post this, but I *am* a Chicago native, born & raised - spent my first 27 years there. I was tickled pink when they won back in 1985, Walter Payton deserved a Super Bowl ring (too bad he never got to score a TD while Perry got 2). GO BEARS!!

Site updates

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 21:55:01 GMT

If you read my fan fiction and haven't stopped by for a while, I've added tons of fan fiction links, both to the general links and the by fandom links.

And, I've also dipped my toes into a couple of new fandoms. I now cover:
Anita Blake, Bones, Breakfast Club, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Days of Our Lives, Firefly, Gilmore Girls, Gone With the Wind, Heroes, Joan of Arcadia, Lost, Phantom of the Opera, Sex and the City, Silence of the Lambs, Smallville, Stephanie Plum, Veronica Mars, Witchblade, and X-Files. You can find them all at: www.phantomroses.com/apckrfan/fanfic

I don't normally use this blog to post updates for fan fiction, but just wanted to post about the updates I've made.

I've been busy trying to make my site more consistent, too, so all of the pages are navigatable the same way. It's a chore, I never think about how many pages and things I have on my site until I do updates like this!

Susan

apckrfan's Xanga

Can't Stop the Serenity 08 AKA apckrfan's Fangirl weekend

Fic Updates through 11/20/07

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

ATTN: eBook readers (particularly of romance)

Little Girls Getting Grown Up

How many have your name?

ADVANCED REVIEW: Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Season 8) #1 (SPOILERS)

In 1969...

Big Storm Heading For Florida *s*

Site updates

Big Storm Heading For Florida s