Stupid.

[iroh_fancier]

Comments

[banditjoeykuba]

I'm really not one to say anything concerning age and fandom: I just turned 20 and am still in my youth. But people "your age" still hold sway in fandom. I'm friends (well, internet friends, but it counts, right?) who are your age (and older even) and they still have found their niche in their fandoms. Maybe in your extended absence, you've simply lost your niche?

Gah, I'm not sure what to say and if what I'm saying even makes an ounce of sense, but just know this: you are never alone, not in fandom or any aspect of life. And I've noticed your absence; I've been waiting for more of your Long Feng/Kuei fics. So fandom hasn't completely moved on; even if it is only one or two people who've noticed a fandom comrade has fallen behind.

Okay, I'm shutting up now before I make even less sense. <3

[iroh_fancier]

The trouble is, I've never found my niche in anything. I'll be 29 in two weeks and I haven't found my place in my community, or with my (often published) non-fandom writing, or in my church, or with people my own age. It was that way at nearly every point in my childhood save for a few years in Jr. High and high school, and it has been that way from college on up. People tell me it's my fault because I don't try, but they don't understand that I _do_ try, and it gets me nowhere. And after awhile, that gets frustrating and sad-making. :(

I'm sorry to have vanished and kept you waiting with my fics! But I'm working on a super-sexy one right now, featuring a scandalized Long Feng and a playful Earth King. And a fic where Kuei's "Uncle Bumi" (who I've theorized is very distantly related to the ruling dynasty in Ba Sing Se) pays a visit for Kuei's 18th birthday -- and to aggravate Long Feng ;p. Gah. 30 fics I have to complete for them!

And you made plenty of sense. :) Thanks so much for reading and commenting.

[findmyantidrug]

I don't think there's no place for people your age in fandom. I think the nature of fandom is that it's possible for anyone to squee with anyone else - the things that link us is our love for a certain show, or a certain character, after all, y'know? My sister and I went to a con a year ago, dressed up as Toph and Azula, and we met a black man who was over 30 years old, who'd seen the show because of his daughter, and we ended up talking about Avatar for nearly an hour. It might just be the nature of social interactions on the internet that are giving you problems? I'm not going to tell you that you have to dress up as Russia, but just know that for me, cosplaying was embarrassing at first, but the open, loving nature of the con - and the ability of people to talk face-to-face about their fandoms - really helped me relax about the fact that I was wearing a Toph get-up. It was my first costume and the sewing was really rather awful, and my hair was a mess the first couple of days, but people were still really nice and supportive. That

[findmyantidrug]

Ack, and I should note, about the con - I'm much, much more shy and antisocial in real life than on the internet, but the sincere, open feeling of the con brought me out of my shell, even if just during the con. Something about all of the people coming together, doing crazy stuff just because they could, stopping random people in the hallway to ask 'who are you supposed to be cosplaying?' is lovely. I donno. Gah now I'm rambling even more, sorry.