Good Lord, what HASN'T happened since I threw my lot in with the crazy fray of fandom?!?!?!
Hmmmm....
Let's start, shall we?
Since I'm an atypical fan in most ways (besides the fact that I'm female, LOL!), I still find it fabulous that my "journey" (?? that's such a sappy word...) is much like most others'.
I was in my first real post-college job. Doing exactly what I had studied for. And I found myself lacking. I found my life lacking. I was depressed, though I didn't know it at the time. What I was was unmotivated and without dreams. Support (from my fabulous and loving family) I have never lacked, but as a fairly goal-oriented, dreamy, artistic person, I was feeling stifled.
So when I started lurking (at .net), I found a community of well-organized, giving, passionate people. And since passion in others is what drew me to Gerry first, passion in his fans lead me to overcome the misgivings that I had about joining. Though I occasionally re-evaluated, I have never really regretted it. And with the dawn of GALS (and my continued involvement with .net, I'm a GAL AND a Tart, and proud of it!), I found myself with yet another special group of friends.
I've met liturally HUNDREDS of wonderful women. I've traveled to four foreign countries, many states, had amazing experiences that I might have never embraced, enjoyed, and LIVED were it not for my "weird obsession". My family, though they don't always "get" it, has learned to come to terms with it, and me.
Other than that, I've gotten the self-confidence to handle bigger problems in life. I've gotten a larger perspective, a world view, and I think I've come to accept that changes in life can be for the better if they're embraced.
I've been in three musicals, production-stage-managed another, taken acting lessons, ballet lessons, and had two (nearly three starting in fall) voice teachers. I've lost weight. I've been in two independent films, one of which will hopefully do festivals this fall and winter. I've gone to over 100 auditions (pretty much got that down...hopefully...LOL!). I've performed twice at GALS functions and loved it. I've seen other talented GALS take steps to better themselves, to embrace their lives, and been fortunate enough to see the rest of the girls cheer them on, hold them up, console them, and celebrate their victories.
So if the outside world thinks I'm obsessed, so be it. If they think I need to get a life, well, honestly, I'd ask THEM to get a life. Really? Who takes the time out of their own ever so important schedule to criticise others without really looking? It's been an eye-opener to me to start embracing the so-called "strange" or "weird" habits of others with open arms instead of shunning them or thinking badly of them the way I might have in the past. Admittedly, I am not the world's most open-minded person. But the change in attitudes when I merely ask, "well, is that convention/activity fun? does it bring you friends?" and hear, "yes" and then, (gasp!), smile and encourage them instead of making fun? It lights up faces. Acceptance is golden. We've all got something slightly off beat about us, and honestly, it's passion for those things that makes us unique and beautiful.
So that as well as a new value for myself and new life experiences, well, I guess you could say that fandom has opened my eyes and given me those gifts.
No small treasures.
Jen