I've been composing this entry in my head for a month now.

[valis2]

So. I think it's clear to anyone who's actually reading my journal that I have pretty much lost interest in HP. The past month, it's been very obvious to me that I've slid away from it--I think I might have read only one fest fic this entire season. I am forgetting canon details. I have not purchased BtB.

I still have some HP fic left in me, and I still have some thoughts about it, but overall, it appears that I've switched my main fandom to Riptide.

I've been really holding off on babbling about Riptide here because I know it can sometimes be a little frustrating to scroll one's flist and see a bunch of strange names and characters. But I started thinking about how I really enjoy the Riptide fandom, and I'd like to babble about it, and so I'm giving you fair warning, flist. Not that I'm going to fill up your fpage with odes to pink helicopters and eighties fashions. But still, there will be an entry or three, behind cuts, of course.

Okay, so here's the thing. I'm leaving for my annual month-long trip to AZ on Monday. When I come back, I think I'm going to do a community trim, and get rid of the HP comms I no longer need to read. As for the flist, I plan on keeping it the same, except for maybe a trim of defunct journals or whatnot. But you? If you want to defriend me, please do. I am completely serious here. I'll be gone for a month, that should give you plenty of time to do so. If you are not interested in my babblings, especially because they are no longer HP-dominated, then please, please defriend me. I like reading everybody's journals, I enjoy the communication very much, but if you're not interested, please believe me, I will not be hurt. It isn't personal; it's just the way it goes in fandom.

Also, news that appears to be related but actually is not, I am unable to go to Azkatraz. Which upsets me so tremendously. I was really looking forward to it. However, it has come to my attention that this strange niche show that I do every two years actually coincides with Azkatraz. My luck as usual. I had forgotten to mark it on my calendar, so when I signed up for Azkatraz it wasn't on there, and I only checked to make sure that the Big Show wouldn't coincide with it. So I won't be able to attend, and I'm really bummed out about this. Seriously. I had planned on visiting with blumsmile and subrosax during and after, and I'm really unhappy that I'll be missing out on seeing everyone, especially since so many good friends will be there.

So that's the state of the fan!valis union. *hugs all*

Comments

[imafarmgirl.livejournal.com]

That is sad. I'll be a TLS fan forever though. I've been reading less fic lately. I'm not interested in the fics basically based on the prologue of DH but if JKR writes more I'll read. I think fan fic will fade for HP in the future, at least a little.

That said, I've grown to like you as a person, so I don't plan to unfriend you unless all you are writing about is a fandom I'm not interested in. That's usually not the case though. However, should you feel the desire to unfriend me, please do feel free. I won't be offended in the least.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

That is sad. I'll be a TLS fan forever though. I've been reading less fic lately. I'm not interested in the fics basically based on the prologue of DH but if JKR writes more I'll read. I think fan fic will fade for HP in the future, at least a little.

Aw, thanks! I'm still up in the air about tLS, honestly. I really would like to finish it, because I have the ending worked out, but there's this big hump to get over first--a bunch of stuff I had planned to do about Harry & Co. Maybe I should just flash forward to the end, honestly. It's already too long!

That said, I've grown to like you as a person, so I don't plan to unfriend you unless all you are writing about is a fandom I'm not interested in. That's usually not the case though. However, should you feel the desire to unfriend me, please do feel free. I won't be offended in the least.

I have no plans to defriend anyone, honestly. I mean, my flist is huge at this point, but many of the people on it are no longer posting, so it isn't too out of control. And most of the people have become friends--it isn't just about HP, it's about the people connection, y'know? I like keeping up that connection, even if many of us have gotten past HP. :)

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

Considering 50 percent of the posts on my f'list are about anime series I've never heard of, it would be silly to defriend somebody because they'd found a new fandom. :) Have fun in Arizona!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

heh. Yeah, I've seen my purely-HP list fragment into SGA, anime, and BSG over the years, so I doubt people will jump ship en masse, but still, I like to get that out there.

And thanks--it'll be nice to get out of the snow! I mean, I'll be working, but at least I won't need a winter coat. :)

[sylvadin.livejournal.com]

Yes. I want to stay on your flist.

Hopefully you've not moved so far away from HP fandom that you will no longer read some snagrid on the rare occasions that I manage to get a new Tango Lessons or Vlady chapter written. ;-)

You're NOT going to Azkatraz?!? Oh, *bleep*. Sigh... Oh well, the realities of being an arts&crafts merchant - we can only earn a 'paycheck' on the days we're selling thus doing a show wins out over personal pleasure trips whenever there's a schedule conflict.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yes. I want to stay on your flist.

hee! You're stuck with me, m'dear. *giant hugs*

Hopefully you've not moved so far away from HP fandom that you will no longer read some snagrid on the rare occasions that I manage to get a new Tango Lessons or Vlady chapter written. ;-)

Oh, absolutely. I'm always up for your writing, of course!! In fact, I still reread your stuff.

You're NOT going to Azkatraz?!? Oh, *bleep*. Sigh... Oh well, the realities of being an arts&crafts merchant - we can only earn a 'paycheck' on the days we're selling thus doing a show wins out over personal pleasure trips whenever there's a schedule conflict.

I am so sad about this--I can't even express it in words. I keep trying to console myself with the fact that this is a good show, but it only helps to a point--I keep feeling like this might be the last con for some of my friends, and so many are going, and this was going to be my Last Gasp of fannish activity for HP, and now this. *cries* I'm really trying to stay positive, but it's hard. :(

You understand more than most, though, that I'm already committed and that it's a sealed deal. *sighs*

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

I still love HP and find it sad that you no longer share the love. But I read your journal for *you* and not just for the fanish side. I enjoy the humour and the vibrant personality in your posts, so I would love to stay connected. *hugs*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh excellent! I love reading your entries too--I'm always fascinated in reading the journals of people who live in other countries, and when they happen to be funny and interesting, that's the best! *hugs*

[rinsbane.livejournal.com]

These things happen. It's the hardest part of leaving a fandom, the people. Not that when you leave, you cut people, but that you just don't see them around as often. Or rather, you're not as involved. You may still read their personal entries, but you don't share in the joy of their fic with them any longer and vice versa. That's what happened when I left HP, gosh, a year and a half ago. Same flist, but somehow not. And over time, the flist I actually watch, as in not-filter, shifted more heavily to SGA. I didn't take anyone off the watch-filter from HP that I was already watching, just added SGA people and gradually the tide shifted. Although now I'm in a lull with SGA - I've written out my current stories for them as well - and am toying with the idea of orig fic.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I've come full circle in the HP fandom, I think. I feel like I've experienced nearly everything possible--running a comm, going to cons, participating in a fest exchange, finding an OTP and following it for a year or two--and I've watched my near purely-HP flist slowly fragment into SGA and anime and BSG and everything else. But the people are still interesting, and I want to catch up.

I'm with you about original fic, though. I've written in the Riptide fandom, now, about 50K since I started up, and I'm really enjoying it. Writing, that is. And I have a couple ideas, and I'm really thinking about working it out.

[sigune.livejournal.com]

There will still be squid, won't there? ;)

Pottering or not, I just like to know how you are. I'd love to keep in touch :).

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Squid will be involved, of course!

And I'd love to keep in touch, too. I adore your work, and I love reading your entries. *hugs*

[vampireanneke.livejournal.com]

Being that I've been in the HP world for more years then the number of fics i've written or read, I don't find fic to be required for my love or enjoyment of the fandom. Ofcourse I have my dolls and such. People do change fandoms but the person is still the same. :)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

People do change fandoms but the person is still the same. :)

Truer words were never spoken. I'm endlessly fascinated by your entries, btw, and was so looking forward to seeing you (and your costumes and dolls) again, and I'm so bummed out about this. :(

[ladywhitehart.livejournal.com]

I plan on keeping you as a friend. HP fandom may have brought us together but there's enough to keep us friends.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, wonderful! I'm so glad. I may not be as interested in the fandom, but I'm still just as interested in the people! :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_vocalion_/]

I'd like to stay. I'm not into HP anymore either, but I still like to keep in touch with everyone. Honestly, I don't even remember the Riptide series, but I enjoy your RL posts about your new house, the graveyard pics, your poems, your ebay gripes and just the coolness of you! :-)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Aw, you're the sweetest thing ever! You're totally making me blush. I have no plans to defriend anybody--I'm just hoping that those who are bored with me or who have wanted to defriend me for awhile will do so, y'know?

*giant hugs*

I'm so glad that I'm not annoying you. *grins*

[alasandalack.livejournal.com]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

well, OK :-)

it's usually the acquisition of new fandoms by my friends that turns me on to them (the fandoms) myself, anyway. well, that was an awkward sentence. anyway, since i feel free to subject my flist to all kinds of randomness, it would be quite silly to resent other people doing it.

IOW i'll hang onto you if you'll hang onto me (unless you don't want to, in which case you... shouldn't).

*goes back to sleep*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

well, OK :-)

hahahha!! *snorts*

it's usually the acquisition of new fandoms by my friends that turns me on to them (the fandoms) myself, anyway. well, that was an awkward sentence. anyway, since i feel free to subject my flist to all kinds of randomness, it would be quite silly to resent other people doing it.

Yeah, I've found some really cool stuff that way myself, and anything I'm not interested in--I just skip. Super easy. :)

IOW i'll hang onto you if you'll hang onto me (unless you don't want to, in which case you... shouldn't).

Oh, I am clinging, believe me. *clings*

:)

[rickfan37.livejournal.com]

Meh. Who needs a mutual fandom when both parties share a keen love of the absurd?
*smooches*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

hahahah!! Yes, exactly! *giant hugs* And teeny Sasquatch garden figures.

*lionsmooches*

[jaelle-n-gilla.livejournal.com]

If you don't mind, I'll stick around. I did that purge last month and I won't participate in any writing or read anything along HP. I will go to the movies of course but that's probably about it.

I don't mind being pointed at other possible fandoms, or read your "horror of the catalog" stories. You rock!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I would love it if you stuck around! You rock. I'm so glad that people are staying with me--makes me feel warm inside.

And I'm glad that you like the Horrors. I think I'll keep those up for awhile. :)

[tjwritter.livejournal.com]

Awww! The only thing about this that makes me truly personally sad, is that I didn't join fandom sooner! I would have loved to see you in your HP heyday!! But that being said, it has never been about HP that I love reading your journal!

No matter what you do, where you go, I'm staying in the Valis!fandom!! I am, after all, the president of the fanclub!

But still...WAH!WAH!WAH! about Azkatraz!! It will not be the same without you!! For realz!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Awww! The only thing about this that makes me truly personally sad, is that I didn't join fandom sooner! I would have loved to see you in your HP heyday!! But that being said, it has never been about HP that I love reading your journal!

Wow, you're so sweet! (And yeah, at my peak, I was devouring so much, and writing essays, and theorizing, and just totally ODing on Snape.)

I'm so happy to have met you! You rock so much.

No matter what you do, where you go, I'm staying in the Valis!fandom!! I am, after all, the president of the fanclub!

bwahahaha! That's absolutely awesome, and this makes me feel a hundred feet tall. w00t!! Thank you so much!

But still...WAH!WAH!WAH! about Azkatraz!! It will not be the same without you!! For realz!

OMG I KNOW. I am already totally miserable. No squid pics! No awesome meals with totally cool friends! No clinging to awesome people! omg. I won't be able to see any of the cool costumes, or watch cool presentations...I'm just so sad! :( Hopefully there will be lots of pretty pics that people will upload after.

[alabastard.livejournal.com]

As we're very much into HP fandom and I don't even know about Riptide (what IS it, anyway?), I will leave it up to you if you still want to read my LJ and keep in touch.

I enjoy your posts and have many friends here who aren't into HP at all, but as I barely know you or you me, I can't say if you would be interested or not beyond the fandom, so I leave it up to you, no hard feelings either way.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

As we're very much into HP fandom and I don't even know about Riptide (what IS it, anyway?), I will leave it up to you if you still want to read my LJ and keep in touch.

Yep, I have no plans to defriend anyone. I like my flist as it is, and I've come to know the people on it beyond the fandom stuff, and I'd like to keep interacting.

I enjoy your posts and have many friends here who aren't into HP at all, but as I barely know you or you me, I can't say if you would be interested or not beyond the fandom, so I leave it up to you, no hard feelings either way.

I enjoy your posts as well, and I still have lots of HP friends in common with you, and like I said, I have no intention of defriending anyone. So I hope you won't mind if I stay. ;)

[leni-jess.livejournal.com]

I shall be sorry to miss you at Azkatraz; one of my reasons for going is to see people again, but I quite see that earning a living has to come first! I hope your niche show goes extraordinarily well, to make it up to you a bit that you can't join us.

I haven't been reading your Riptide posts, so I shall just go on reading and enjoying the rest. Your LJ was always Valis-the-person, for me.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I shall be sorry to miss you at Azkatraz; one of my reasons for going is to see people again, but I quite see that earning a living has to come first! I hope your niche show goes extraordinarily well, to make it up to you a bit that you can't join us.

I will be terribly sorry to miss you--I really enjoyed talking to you, and I was looking forward to new conversations!

Fortunately, the niche show is a good one, or I'd be really unhappy about missing the con for it. That's the bad thing about this industry--all of the weekends that get tied up, and there's no way to get out of them. *sighs*

I haven't been reading your Riptide posts, so I shall just go on reading and enjoying the rest. Your LJ was always Valis-the-person, for me.

Oh, wonderful! That's what I'd hoped for, that people would continue this fun conversation and keep connected. I'm so glad that you'll still be there!

[arouette.livejournal.com]

Should you ever feel the need to squee about two fandoms at once, in addition to my love for Riptide, I also am a fervent Snagrid follower. They're just so damn cute together...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Snagrid? Yep, I'm into that pairing. I love sylvadin's work and also iibnf's work. Hooray for shared fandoms! :)

[saruwatari.livejournal.com]

I might have come for the HP, but I stayed because you're an swesome person. <3

(I went from a flist of 215 to a flist of 25 a few months ago, when I realised a) I was only here sporadically; b) I wasn't active in fandom anymore and most of the people on my list I only knew in context of fandom; c) I didn't have the time nor energy to keep up with so many people I didn't connect with or really know at all. I kept the people I really liked and wanted to keep in touch with and wanted to keep reading. So... basically you're stuck with me. ROFL.)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I might have come for the HP, but I stayed because you're an swesome person. <3

Awww!!! You're so absolutely sweet. *hugs*

,i>(I went from a flist of 215 to a flist of 25 a few months ago, when I realised a) I was only here sporadically; b) I wasn't active in fandom anymore and most of the people on my list I only knew in context of fandom; c) I didn't have the time nor energy to keep up with so many people I didn't connect with or really know at all. I kept the people I really liked and wanted to keep in touch with and wanted to keep reading. So... basically you're stuck with me. ROFL.)

Wow, I feel totally honored! That's wonderful that I made the cut. squee!!

I really do like that, even after the HP stuff died down, I ended up with a lot of really wonderful connections. All these interesting people who have such interesting skills and thoughts and conversations. Like you and your photography, for example. I am always happy to log onto LJ and see what's new with my friends. *giant hugs*

[verdenia.livejournal.com]

*HUGS* Any chance you could come before or after Azkatraz, to see some of us? You'd be welcome to stay with me. ;p

Otherwise, maybe some other time! I've always got guest space for you!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Aw, you are the sweetest thing! After, unfortunately, is completely impossible, as I have another show the next weekend.

I've been considering before, but I'm not certain it's possible either. I'm still thinking about it. If I can get a really cheap flight, it might be doable, but then again, I will be a bit crazy preparing for those shows...

[verdenia.livejournal.com]

& of course I love the Squid Love, and the RL entries! ;D
I hope the show goes really well!!!

[Remus]Here, have some chocolate, it'll help[/Remus]

*HUGS*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

hahahaha!! Aw, thank you so much! I will always accept chocolate. Especially from Remus!Verdenia. hahaha!!

*giant hugs*

[rook543.livejournal.com]

Does this mean you will FINALLY have time to help me start a "Happy Gilmore" fan fic community?

I have a GREAT idea for a story where Chubbs didn't really die as it turns out!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

ahahha! Um. Unfortunately, no. You'll have to Gilmore by yourself. lol!!!

[florence-craye.livejournal.com]

I'm also here for the Valis!Club. :D I don't think I've mentioned HP in a few months, even as a reference.

Tangent on fandoms:
I guess I wouldn't consider myself hard-core in any fandom as I was in HP. I enjoy House and the Tudors (omg so bad!) and Star Trek TNG and the X-Files very much, and yet I don't have the desire to get as involved. They're fun to watch and think about, but I think HP fulfilled that role for me for a while. I guess my fandom now is library school? XD

Anyway, fandom or no fandom or a different fandom, I am here for the long haul. Awww! :)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I'm also here for the Valis!Club. :D I don't think I've mentioned HP in a few months, even as a reference.

haha! That makes me feel so great, seriously. :) I keep thinking, everyone will defriend me, but then again, some of my fave LJers have left HP--sometimes ages ago.

I guess I wouldn't consider myself hard-core in any fandom as I was in HP. I enjoy House and the Tudors (omg so bad!) and Star Trek TNG and the X-Files very much, and yet I don't have the desire to get as involved. They're fun to watch and think about, but I think HP fulfilled that role for me for a while. I guess my fandom now is library school? XD

I definitely find myself obsessing over Riptide, just as much as I did HP in many ways (except for theorizing, which isn't quite as intense, lol). Eventually it will slow down a little, I'm certain. But I know what you mean--there are a few fandoms where I read, but I don't really think I could ever write. I think I'm nearly monogamous about which fandoms I write for, and seeing that I've written 50K for Riptide in the past four months, I think it's pretty plain which one has captured my interest. heh.

Anyway, fandom or no fandom or a different fandom, I am here for the long haul. Awww! :)

Aw, that is the sweetest thing ever! So am I. *giant hugs* I think about you just about every day or so, because I see the cuttle blanket on the sofa. It's so snuggly and warm! :)

[elddonnemar.livejournal.com]

I will be here, lurking in your journals. Though reading the comments makes me feel obligated to start talking about anime series you have never heard of.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

It's comforting to know that there are noodles lurking about in my entries. :)

And since I've probably only heard of 2% of all anime series (and watched .05%), you could mention just about any anime series and you would definitely have a good chance of it being a series I've never heard of. hee!!

[marginaliana]

You're still in squid fandom, right? :P Otherwise I don't know if I can cope.

(You're not getting rid of me, of course.)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

hahha! Yes, squid galore. *grins*

*clings* I lurve you, you know that? :)

[cordelia_v]

Oh, please. I'm here for YOU and not for HP content. No way would I defriend over something so trivial. I'm sorry you won't be making it to Azkatraz, and have a good trip, OK?

[valis2.livejournal.com]

;) Glad to see that you'll be sticking around. *giant hugs*

I'm so sad about Azkatraz, too, but hopefully I'll be so busy I won't obsess over it, lol.

Got here to WI okay, and hope that the rest of the trip goes so smoothly...

[mariannelee.livejournal.com]

No more tLS? *weeps*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I am still crossing my fingers that tLS will resolve itself. I'm thinking I might still be able to make it happen...*crosses fingers*