#lollypopkay

[saysuchwonderfulthings]

What Makes a Fan?

A lot of people, like me, are proud to say that they are fans of a specific fandom, or fandoms. A few the fandoms which I'm proud to say I'm a part of are Downton Abbey, A Song of Ice and Fire and The Walking Dead. I state only three, for if I was to state them all I'd be going on for quite a while. I've got into these fairly recently. Downton Abbey I've liked since it started in 2010, A Song of Ice and Fire I became a fan of straight away after watching the first episode of Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead I became a fan of at the beginning of this year. 

I'm usually one to want to read the book to something before seeing the film. Sometimes I do this, sometimes I don't. I read A Song of Ice and Fire during and after watching Season 1 of Game of Thrones. Does this make me any less of a fan? No. I haven't even touched a copy of The Walking Dead graphic novels. Does this make me any less of a fan? No. Downton Abbey isn't based on a book, so I suppose my argument isn't valid using that as an example.

Some people might say that you can only be considered part of a fandom if you're aware of every single aspect of it. So you'd have had to be there since day one, buy and read each book when it first comes out and actively participate in calling newcomers 'fake fans'. Others, such as myself disagree. You can be part of a fandom just from knowing so little about it all. You're a fan if from the first chapter of a book you're drawn in and you get that funny feeling that you're really going to stick with this fandom. 

Take Harry Potter for example, probably the biggest fandom of all time. The first book was published in 1997. I was two/three in 1997. There was no way that I could read a book then. I read the first book probably in 2001 after seeing the film. I only brought the sixth and seventh book on the opening day. People might say that only a 'true' fan would stand outside at midnight waiting for the book to be released. Regardless of whether you went at midnight or brought the book a few days, months or years after, you're still a fan. What do you think it will be like in ten, twenty year's time? The kids who are part of the 'Potter Generation' will be introducing their own children to the series. Will they be telling them that they can't be proper fans because they haven't read the books or weren't around when the books first came out? I doubt they will. People need to stop saying that about other people.

My mom's favourite film series is probably Lord of the Rings. She hasn't read the books though is a keen fan and is looking forward to when The Hobbit is released later this year. Would you say that she isn't a fan because she hasn't read the books? I wouldn't.

It's fair enough to try to encourage people to read the series because you believe that they'll get so much more out of it if they do. Take Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for instance. People who have read the book will know all about Ludo Bagman and Winky. Peeves, of course, if you've read the books and played the video games you'll know was cut from the first film. One of my friends who is working her way through reading the books has only just found out who Bagman is. Does that make her any less of a fan? No it doesn't.

The same goes with music. The whole idea of discovery is fun in all different mediums. When you first listen to a song, has that same thrill as watching a film for the first time. When I was younger a phrase I constantly heard was "that song's old", when in reality it had only been out a couple of months. I still here it when passing groups of younger kids at school. I always chuckle to myself. If they were to have a listen to some of my favourite songs, then they'd realise what 'old' music actually is.

I read a comment somewhere from an older person on the internet who had been part of The Beatles phenomina in the 1960s. He said that "the only real fans had been around during the 1960s." I consider myself to be a fan of The Beatles. I was born in 1994. Fourteen years before I was born, John Lennon was shot. Of course I couldn't have been around to see The Beatles live in their prime. I can still listen to them in their prime though. And I'm a fan, regardless of what anybody says.

The point I'm trying to make this that the joy of being part of these fandoms is welcoming newcomers into it and sharing it with people of all ages. Can you imagine in fifty, sixty years time you could be having a chat with your grandchildren about Harry Potter? You could be sharing your experiences of going to see the last film at midnight, the reactions from the audience when the screen went black for the last time. You pass on that fandom to future generations. It's something that sounds so exciting. If you want to call yourself a fan of something, you are a fan, regardless of what anybody else says. 

[saysuchwonderfulthings]

February Reads! 

A video where I tell you all the books I've read in February. 

Watch January's edition here: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S32h_wyHHUU&feature=channel 

[saysuchwonderfulthings]

1. 'Pigtopia' by Kitty Fitzgerald

I know they always say "don't judge a book by its cover" but with Pigtopia that's exactly what I did. With it's bright, bold and eye-catching cover, it was difficult for a lover of quirky designs and patterns like myself to resist and with the inciting price of just 99p, it was practically a steal. 

The book is told from the perspectives of two narrators, Jack Plum and Holly Lock. Jack, a man of around thirty with serious mental and physical disabilities has, what can only be described as a 'pig affinity'. Years of isolation from the outside world has brought him to use odd phrases, perhaps going as far to say that he's got his own sociolect exclusive to himself. He seems to link and refer to almost everything as something to do with pigs. He's a complex and interesting character who invokes sympathy and curiosity from the reader.

Holly Lock is a young teenager, not conforming to the norms of society. She refuses to dabble in relationships, make up and sex like the others of her age are slowly discovering. She befriends Jack and soon both misunderstood people build a friendship, though entirely in secret. 

There's no romance between the two characters. I suppose that Jack would be considered two simple or innocent to understand that kind of love. Their friendship is so pure and they trust each other completely. 

It's a moving book, from start to finish, challenging the conventions and expectations of society, while dealing with adult themes and issues surrounding two very childlike characters. 

[saysuchwonderfulthings]

Books are better than people

I prefer books to people. In general (though not always). In most, if not all cases I would prefer to be sat at home, reading a book, living the stories of the characters and exercising my imagination than going out drinking so much that I can't remember how to read. So I'm going to set myself a goal. I've decided to attempt to read 100 books, at least this year. I'm on my third this year and I've decided to post my opinions on the books that I've read, basically reviews of sorts.  I'm going to have a read of all the fiction books in my bookcase before moving onto books from the library. Some of the books I'd have read many times before, others are first time reads for me. Some will be well know classics, others will be obscure titles I've picked up for cheap. Either way, I'll be posting my opinions on them on my tumblr. 

[saysuchwonderfulthings]

I am so scared right now! I'm home alone and there is a bird in the house. Somewhere. In the house. The thing is it's going to be tricky to get out. And another thing, I hate birds (apart from owls, I wouldn't mind an owl being in my house.) The story starts off around half past three yesterday afternoon. My mom had just gone out to pick my sister up from school and I was home alone. Every little noise you hear, every little creak, every little movement of light is a million times scarier when you're home on your own. I was sitting on my bed, doing some homework when I heard this flapping noise. I knew it was a bird straight away (what else could it be?) due to the fact we've had problems with birds in our roof before. The bird managed to get in through this hole in side of the house, where a grid thing fell out. Not only did this bird get into the house, if basically fell into the house. It fell underneath the bath. For your information, the shower has been broken for a couple of months and my dad is still yet to repair it, so we've all being having to have baths. I am not, I am not, getting into a bath when there is a bird underneath it. I'd be too scared of it popping out or managing to burrow into the bath so it's in there with me. When my mom and sister came home I was sitting downstairs, probably scared for my life. The kind of sad thing about it is there's a bird stuck underneath the bath and it's probably going to die. Another bad thing about it is I'm too scared to use the bathroom and I'm going to have to rush in and then rush out in order to get my toothbrush etc. I'm going to end up having to go into the en suite and washing my hair over the sink and then having a wash in the sink.  This is one of the many reasons why I hate birds. Knowing our luck it's probably brought its woman in there and they're probably building a nest and making baby birds as we speak. Needless to say, I'm terrified.  

[saysuchwonderfulthings]

A Primark Haul I did a while back in November. I need to have another trip to Primark to get another big haul. There are some really great things in the sales at the moment and I just feel the need to have more clothes! I'm soon going to need to pop to IKEA to have another rail put up in my wardrobe and my drawer unit is full. There's just so much to buy and not enough cash or space to get them! 

[saysuchwonderfulthings]

Here's a new video in the 30 day challenge! 

[saysuchwonderfulthings]