Snowflake Challenge Post #1 - Introduce Yourself

[orangerful]

In an effort to use this blog more, I'm going to participate in the annual 'Snowflake Challenge' so I post on a regular basis. Hopefully, eventually, I will just make some time for blogging and enjoy the process of getting some of the thoughts constantly rolling around in my head committed to the digital page.

Enter, the Snowflake Challenge (details here)

Challenge #1 In your own space, introduce yourself!



I'm orangerful aka Sam. Librarian by day, nerd 24/7.

If I listed every fandom/obsession I have, we would be here all day, so let's just hit the big ones that will probably give you a pretty well rounded view of who I am:



I was born a Star Wars fan and while I don't love every single thing Star Wars, I have a soft spot for the original films. I tend to pick and choose from the new stuff, since there is SO MUCH of it, but the galaxy far far away is still a happy place for me when I need to escape this planet.

I have also watched 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'. A lot. I discovered it at just the right time in my life, Buffy's first year of college was the same year as mine, and that was when I finally gave the series a chance. It clicked with me on a level of no other show and, despite its flaws, I still go back to it and quote it often.

I'm currently watching 'The Expanse' on Amazon Prime. It is one of THE best sci-fi shows on right now (and maybe the best ever? Only time will tell). I have only read the first book in the series, but I do plan on picking them up at some point (I mean, I work in a library, they are right there) but right now I am enjoying not knowing what is going to happen next.

I just finished a rewatch of 'Bob's Burgers' which still holds up really well and I adore that show. It makes me laugh and it somehow manages to be edgy and wholesome. Maybe because we are all a little bit Bob, Linda, Tina, Gene and Louise every day.

I read a LOT of young adult and middle grade chapter books along with all ages of graphic novels. It's not required by my job, I just prefer them at this point. I find that YA books are just so much more fun and uplifting than "Adult" books. In YA books, the teens start out struggling with who they are and then experience life to learn and grow and be a better person by the end. In adult books, they start out struggling...continue to struggled...and tend to be struggling/miserable at the end.

That being said, the one adult book series I do enjoy is 'Murderbot' by Martha Wells. I need to read the newest one (2020 gave me terrible readers block) but they are the kind of sci-fi snark I need in my life.

My current obsession is all things tabletop games. You will see many posts from the previous year talking about the excellent YouTube channel Dicebreaker and how I have followed all their guidance to amass a large collection of games this year.

I'm also a HUGE fan of OutsideXbox and OutsideXtra. I have been playing video games all my life and their fun and positive and very British approach to talking about games keeps me coming back. These channels reignited my love of gaming. They are just nice people and they love games. Oxtra host Luke Westaway did a few streams on his personal channel during 2020, first composing chill beats and then reading ghost stories (and recently LEGOS!) and the community that formed around those live streams include some of my new favorite people on the planet.

As for fannish things that I do, I'm in the category of thinking-too-much-about-that-silly-thing-you-love and picking it apart until no one will talk to me (so I post them here). It is why I am a fan of Pop Culture Detective and (recently) Cinema Therapy. I have an entire bookshelf of media studies books, mostly about BtVS but a few more general ones too. My undergrad is in American Studies which is all about looking at American culture and ideas and how they shape us as a society.

I was once called a "brand evangelist" so I am also the kind of fan that will talk about one show or game that you absolutely must watch and explain to you why it is awesome until you ask me how I found you and to please back away slowly.

I hope that gives you a good picture of who I am through the lens of all the media I consume. Hopefully over the course of this month, we will all get to know each other a little better!



Happy New Year! It's 2021 - let's do better this year!

Comments

[tjs_whatnot]

Hello! Happy to know you with this lovely snapshot.

Young adult and middle grade books are my jam right now too. ♥ I've been spending a lot of time in the children's section of the library--yay for them being sort of open still! ♥ Mostly for picture books for work, but I also grab a chapter book or two on each visit. They soothe me. ♥ ♥

[orangerful]

Hello!

Yes, I love a good picture book too. I own a bunch of Mo Willems' books because they never fail to make me smile and sometimes you just need a quick little read.

[silverusagi]

In adult books, they start out struggling...continue to struggled...and tend to be struggling/miserable at the end.

Yup. I call it 'tragedy porn.' Of course, it's a generalization to say that all adult literature is doom and gloom, but it seems like so many of the books that have been recommended to me lately, or that are on all the top lists are some variation of "a dysfunctional family struggles with..." or "after a tragedy, a family is left..." And I'm just like NO.

[orangerful]

Well, the books that tend to be called "literary fiction" and get all the acclaim (because all reviewers can agree on what misery looks like vs comedy) so those are the ones I am giving the side-eye too any time they are recommended LOL.

Plus, if I want doom and gloom, I read non-fiction now. There are some amazing YA NF titles about American history, racial equality, LGBTQIA+ issues that are HEAVY but at least I'm learning something. :P

[silverusagi]

Re: "literary fiction": I've joked before that the best way to write a best seller is to think of the saddest thing I possibly can, and then mix in some unexpected tragedy as well.

CANCER, but then INFIDELITY!! And SECRETS FROM THE PAST! Maybe a CAR CRASH as well, in which Important Players die!!

[orangerful]

You are NOT wrong LOL.

I remember when I first started as a librarian and I was trying to help this young girl find a book to read and I asked her what kind of stories she liked and she straight up said "Books where people are dying of cancer" and I was like "uuuuuuh" because it's just not my genre. (I'm going to blame that request on 'fault in our stars' lol. I wonder if that was what she was looking for but I was too new to YA land to know?)

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

It might have been tragedy pr0n, but it might also have been "I want to read stories about how characters deal with shit that has happened in my family because I have no freaking clue and neither do my relatives."

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Yup. I call it 'tragedy porn.' <<

That is a good term.

>> Of course, it's a generalization to say that all adult literature is doom and gloom, but it seems like so many of the books that have been recommended to me lately, or that are on all the top lists are some variation of "a dysfunctional family struggles with..." or "after a tragedy, a family is left..." And I'm just like NO. <<

It's not so much "all adult literature" as "a majority of modern entertainment." Sure there's other stuff. All bright gods bless the Internet for breaking the publication bottleneck. Now we can all create and share whatever we damn please. And what sells to my audience? Comfort reading and hardcore hurt/comfort in which people struggle and make progress against great opposition. I do have a couple of doom-and-gloom series. They exist for variety, but they are not popular, and I am okay with that. Most modern entertainment is just, well, not entertaining to me. Someone else asked about dysfunctional families today, and I reached for an example ... and realized that I don't tend to write characters IN dysfunctional families. I write characters FROM dysfunctional families who are trying to clean up the mess, which is much more interesting and useful.

Much the same is true for other writers I read. If you want something that isn't tragedy pr0n, check out dialecticdreamer whose Feathering the Nest (mid-month) always calls for prompts about "nonsexual intimacies." It's adult, usually, but it is neither tragedy nor pr0n.

[sjh2009]

I loved the original Star Wars movies, they were something so different and unique back then, I have to admit to not having seen the more recent ones, I think sometimes you can have too much of one thing.

That's an interesting point about books. I've been scanning the general fiction recently and none of it really stands out to me, much of it is the same old thing. Maybe I should look in the YA section instead and find something a little more hopeful and positive.

[orangerful]

Definitely too much of a thing. I actually MISS having to wait for movies to come out...now it feels like so many are released each year, I can't keep up anymore. I've given up on the MCU all together because I didn't watch fast enough and spoilers etc.. (Though I did finally watch 'Into the Spiderverse' which was a lot of fun!)

If you want any suggestions, I am happy to give some!! There are so many good books out there. :)

[sjh2009]

Thank you. I'll leave your message unread in my inbox and come back to you once Snowflake is finished :)

Try this ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

If you're bored with the 11,009th Lost Prince story, then I encourage you to explore ethnic fiction. Aside from its own stuff, there are crossovers into other genres, like Sword & Soul which is African-themed fantasy. I got in on that with its early beginnings in things like the Dossouye series in MZB's Fantasy. The world is full of diverse and fascinating cultures. Monsters you've never heard of! Plots that aren't shaped like a mountain! Fantasy worlds or alien realms inspired by totally different mythologies! \o/ I write it as well as read it. Tell ALL the stories!

Re: Try this ...

[sjh2009]

Thank you, love the sound if that!

Re: Try this ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

You're welcome! Ways to find it:
* Type in an ethnic group, minority, or other focus like "women" and then keywords like author, book, short story, canon, reading list, best of, your favorite genre, and so forth.
* At a bookstore or library, ask where to find their section of those books and whether they have a rec-reading list
* Look for book clubs, organizations, author appearances, etc.

Some folks like to make a New Year's resolution to read X books in a given genre or by an underrepresented type of author. This is a good way to build awareness of a new category quickly.

[rhoda_rants]

Oh man, it is SO hard to find great adult books that are uplifting or at least optimistic like that. Well, if you don't read romance, which is different. (I read a lot of horror, so, y'know.)

I don't think anything will ever take away my love of Star Wars, the original trilogy at least. I found them at such a formative age and I will always hold them close to my heart.

And I will watch The Expanse eventually, I promise!

[orangerful]

Oddly, I do like adult horror when I find it, but like with movies/tv, I'm very picky about my horror because if I'm going to scare myself, it needs to be for a high quality book. :)

LOL if you ever get around to it, I'm sure I will know because you're going to flail so much...I think you'll love the universe and the characters.

Try this ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

For uplifting and optimistic, there are genres like Inspirational or Gentle Fiction. Some genres have branches that fit those, too, like Cozy Mysteries -- some of which come with a side of local color, a hobby, or other interesting tidbits. You are not the only person who's sick of tragedy pr0n.

[kanadka]

Hello and happy new year!! /waves Am here from the snowflake challenge just to say hi and also!! The Expanse!!! is so great!!!! I love it so much, I'm almost annoyed that they're making us wait every week for new episodes but it's probably better enjoyed that way than to binge. I too have not read the books and am enjoying too much the feeling of not knowing what will happen.

What was the most eye-opening bit of Pop Culture Detective meta for you?

[orangerful]

I am enjoying having the Expanse episodes released a week apart just because it is actually allowing me to have discussions about the show with friends, like the good ol' days LOL. I mean, when I joined LJ back in the day, it was to discuss the latest episodes of Buffy and Angel. it's nice not to have to play the "wait what episode are you on? Did this happen?" game and worry about spoilers (though my Mom has read all the books so she has to be careful what she says around me)

They have ALL opened my eyes, but I think the most recent essay series about sexual assault played for laughs with men. Dear god, I never noticed how much those jokes are EVERYWHERE. And they are awful. Especially when he showed the clip from the children's cartoon with the "don't drop the soap" joke and I was horrified. So that one has probably really made me more aware? But they all have been so good. I'm really looking forward to his upcoming essay on colonialism in tabletop games.

Thank you for reading!

[derry]

OMG THE EXPANSE. Every single year I tell myself I'm gonna catch up with that show, then I rewatch S1 to get back into it & remember all the politics, and then I get hit with massive (redacted in case you don't know these characters yet) feels & stop watching. I have not made it further than 2 episodes into S2. Arrrrgh. xD;

I think this might be the year I'll finally catch up though. It's such an absolutely fantastic show!!

Also, yay Star Wars! <3

[orangerful]

DO IT!!!!!!!! Plus, there is only one more season after this and you know how fun it is to watch the final season in real time with all the fans flailing together. I've really enjoyed that Amazon has only dropped an episode a week for this current season because I've been able to chat with other fans and try to figure out what is going to happen.

Season 1 is SO MUCH SET UP and then S2 is a WILD RIDE. Also Bobby. I adore Bobby. And Drummer. She is a beast.

I am here to squee with you when you finally catch up.

[spikedluv]

BtVS has the best quotes!

I love YA books, too!

[orangerful]

I constantly say "Reading makes my speaking English good" when I'm talking with fellow Librarians LOL. I can always tell which ones are the Buffy fans...

Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

"Does everyone see how much fire I'm not on?"

When I first watched Buffy, I thought it was particular to the universe. It's not. That's more or less how Joss Whedon thinks and talks. I watched some of his interviews and every few minutes he'd say something that was perfectly clear but just not standard English. I love it. The same pattern appears in Firefly -- but the two don't sound like each other at all. They just both sound like Joss.

Re: Yes ...

[orangerful]

Yup, a few of the media studies books I have on Whedon focus on his unique speech patterns.

Re: Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Are there books that emphasize that primarily, or just books with a section on it? I am a hobby-linguist and would be interested if there's enough material on it.

[libbi]

I very nearly used that same gif in my post. I hope the new Obi-Wan film is fun. He and Anakin were my favorite characters when I was really into Star Wars.

I'll have to check out The Expanse and Murderbot, thanks for the recs! American Studies sounds like an interesting discipline. Do you have any recs for someone wanting a general overview of the topic?

[orangerful]

I hope the Obi-Wan film/show or whatever it is supposed to be is fun too! Hope it gets made and that Ewan stays a part of it. I do like Ewan. :)

Honestly, I have no idea what text would be a good overview LOL. We didn't really have a single textbook, it was a lot of non-fiction reading mixed with essays. Any non-fiction title you read that discusses niche topic that applies to the United States would probably qualify.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> In an effort to use this blog more <<

I recently wrote about recurring posts. Choosing a few of those makes it much easier to post regularly.

If you are looking for writing inspiration, I recommend:

allbingo is a low-pressure, high-inspiration community open to original and fanwork of all kinds. It hosts monthly fests on different themes.

crowdfunding is a community for creators, sponsors, and fans of cyberfunded creativity. It runs a Creative Jam mid-month with different themes.

I have enjoyed Star Wars and Buffy. We are currently watching Blood of Zeus, which seems to consist mostly of Greek eastereggs. :D And graphic violence, but well, it's a modern toon.

>> I read a LOT of young adult and middle grade chapter books along with all ages of graphic novels. It's not required by my job, I just prefer them at this point. I find that YA books are just so much more fun and uplifting than "Adult" books. In YA books, the teens start out struggling with who they are and then experience life to learn and grow and be a better person by the end.<<

I write some of that, not so much in fanfic, but you might get a kick out of Antimatter and Stalwart Stan. If you've ever shipped Clark/Lex or Charles/Erik and wished someone would give them a copy of The Joy of Gay Sex already ... this is that story.

>> In adult books, they start out struggling...continue to struggled...and tend to be struggling/miserable at the end.<<

That's why I write differently, and one reason I support crowdfunding where folks can ask for and get whatever they want, not what some publisher decided to sell. My most popular fanseries Love Is For Children (The Avengers) is all about struggling and actually making progress. Because no progress is boring.

>> My current obsession is all things tabletop games.<<

Cool. We have ... at least a cubic yard, maybe closer to two by now, on the shelf behind me. Call to Adventure is conspicuously awesome -- it's all character development.

>> As for fannish things that I do, I'm in the category of thinking-too-much-about-that-silly-thing-you-love and picking it apart until no one will talk to me (so I post them here). <<

Meta is a legit fill in allbingo. You could find a whole new audience for your meta posts. A majority of the fills are fiction or poetry, occasionally other stuff, so more variety would be great.

I am similarly fascinated by the infrastructure of art and literature. Per Scott McCloud, I write from the core out. So with fanfic, it's derive in, extrapolate out. I look at something in canon, imagine how it got that way, and then consider how that would influence new stories.