XENA E-XINE

THE XENA E-XINE LOVE ISSUE -- February 12, 2001 xena_exine - exine.tvheaven.com

----------------------------------------------

THE XENA E-XINE LOVE ISSUE

Volume II, Issue 1 -- February 12, 2001

==============================================

Today's issue includes:

1. Feature Article -- "The XenaVerse: A Neat Place To Pick Up Chicks or Why Bars and Personal Ads Suck Piggy Wonks"

2. Xena quote/Xena Joke

3. Featured FanFic and Short Review -- "Best Friend" -- "Redemption"

4. Xena News -- Love In The Xenaverse

5. Featured Xena Links -- Sci-Fi.com --The Encyclopedia Xenaica

6. Xena: Warrior Princess Episode Guide -- "Callisto" -- "Death Mask"

7. Xena Poems -- By Countess She Fluffster

8. Valentine Extras -- "Soul Mates"

9. Feedback

10. PRIVACY/NO SPAM POLICY!

11. Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information

12. Credits

13. Archives

==============================================

Apology (sort of) from the Editors to the Readers: We're sorry we slacked off in getting out the Xine, however, we both had a pretty good reason, we think. Thanks to Xena, the net (which ties in nicely with the theme of this issue), the online community, the fanfic we were both extremely fortunate enough to have found our soul mates and, thus, other matters have taken precedence over our little online enterprise. It's a Good thing. You know what we mean. Pwaise Xena. Happy Aphrodite's Day to everyone, not just the lovers. --The Xine Eds

==============================================

Shameless Advertising

CDs

For great Rock `N Roll music, produced by a fellow Xenite, check out Mary Paulson´s "Just Because" http://www.swiftsite.com/marypaulson/index.htm

Original TV Soundtrack

"Xena: Warrior Princess - Lyre, Lyre..." http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004T9VK/thexenaexine

Video Games

Xena: Warrior Princess for the Sony PlayStation, by Universal Interactive Studios http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00002R28Q/thexenaexine

Books

Life Lessons from Xena, Warrior Princess : A Guide to Happiness, Success, and Body Armor http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0836267672/thexenaexine

Lucy Lawless & Renee O'Connor: Warrior Stars Of Xena http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/155022347X/thexenaexine

==============================================

1) Featured Article

"The XenaVerse: A Neat Place To Pick Up Chicks or Why Bars and Personal Ads Suck Piggy Wonks"

by dr. jones

November 14, 2000

In a Time of Microsoft, Yahoo, and AOL ... a Cyberspace in turmoil cried out for a Haven. It was the XenaVerse, a mighty fortress, forged in the heat of subtext. The modems. The chat rooms. The Flame Wars. Its existence would change our lives. Meeting people over the internet is a difficult endeavor at best. Chat rooms, mailing lists and public forums have little to no mechanism for filtering its patrons, and the likelihood of finding a truly special person seems to be slim. The very anonymity that makes us feel free and safe means that anyone can log on and pretend to be whatever they choose. The problem with most chat rooms and mailing lists, is that common interests do not necessarily mean common values. Add in the fact that, even if you did find someone who seems to be what you're looking for, they likely live halfway across the world, and meeting people over the internet becomes a dimmer and dimmer prospect. The XenaVerse, however, has a few unique characteristics that set it apart from generic topical meeting places. Though there are other fandoms that have some of these characteristics, none possess all the qualities that make the XenaVerse a great place to pick up chicks. Like most places on the internet, the XenaVerse provides a common interest upon which to build lasting relationships. The peculiarity of the XenaVerse on this front is that it also provides common values and characteristics. The very nature of the show attracts people with a sense of humor, a sense of the greater good, and a sense of the romantic. The result is that most of the people you can meet in the XenaVerse are fun, good people who are definitely worth knowing. Still, the old adage "better safe than sorry" applies to meeting anyone face to face after months of interaction over the 'net. What we seek, the XenaVerse provides. While meeting people for the first time is nerve-wracking at best, the XenaVerse provides mini-fandoms within the larger fandom by way of bards and quality fanfiction. These bards and their fans plan gatherings, breakfasts, and look for each other at cons and other official events. These "group happenings" alleviates the stress and worry of meeting someone face to face for the first time. While I would never suggest that someone fly across the country to meet that neat lady they met in the quilting chat room on yahoo!, I would highly recommend that someone beg, borrow, or steal to get to a group gathering that they know people they've been talking to online are going to attend. Even the difficulty of learning about a person's value system over the internet in most forums is overcome by the XenaVerse. The controversy surrounding the show and its lesbian subtext sparks discussions on normally taboo subjects, such as religion and politics. These discussions take on a life of their own as each issue spawns another, and each Xenite has their say. Here, the anonymity can only be a blessing. Every Xenite is free to speak their minds and hearts on topics that usually won't arise on other forums. The very things people avoid bringing up on dates as they "get to know" someone are some of the first things that arise in the XenaVerse. This is particularly useful to X:WP's large lesbian following. Bars and personal ads do little to nothing to weed out people who are not going to "click" mentally or emotionally. Take into account the somewhat sleazy meat-market atmosphere of most bars and the prevailing social attitude that only people who can't get a date any other way use personal ads, and we find that these are not the avenues to take. Those, of course, are drawbacks for anyone trying to find that special someone. Lesbians and gays, however, have added difficulty. Statistically, only ten percent of the population is homosexual. Of those, only fifty percent are women. So not only are bars and personal ads out, but most other ways of meeting people are as well, because only five percent of the population is lesbian. This is solved in the XenaVerse, because it has a disproportionate number of lesbians, making the chances of meeting someone of like mind, heart, and orientation much more likely. But not all X:WP's fans are lesbians, and I have heard many non-lesbians speak of the woes of meeting someone with any substance in today's world. The XenaVerse is still a great place to meet people, for the exact same reasons. People who like the show are neat, the discussions reveal their true character, and meeting them face to face happens in large, friendly and safe groups. Even disregarding romantic interests, the XenaVerse is a great place to be for those of us happy being single or who already have partners or husbands or wives. Friendships, like romances, born of like interests and values will last long after the show has past. These are people who will remember your birthday, who will write to you to see how you're doing if you haven't posted anywhere in awhile, and will send you notes of encouragement or congratulations as the situation demands. To paraphrase a popular show, there is the family you are born into and the family that you make; the XenaVerse binds us together, closer than blood ever could.

==============================================

2) Xena Quote/Xena Joke

Xena Quote

Gabrielle (with short hair): "I guess it's a day for changes."

Xena: "Oh yeah. How does this feel?

Gabrielle: "Feels pretty good...I wish I had some word in it though. Ya know it was like this in that vision.

Xena: "I know...I've been thinking about that.

Gabrielle: "Xena, Alti was evil. Why should we believe anything she showed us? The Mehndi contains the truth, I wish there was some way that...that we could do that again, just...just to really know.

Xena: "Naima woulda told us.

Gabrielle: "Yeah...there's so many questions I wished I had asked her...about what this all means. You know what she said? She said that your Karma and mine...they're intertwined.

Xena: "Maybe it's not the first time we've walked down this road, huh?

Gabrielle: "Maybe it won't be the last? How would I recognize you?

Xena: "We need a sign. This way no matter how we look, we'll always remember the way we were." (Xena makes the woman symbol on her foot where it is adorned with mehndi.) "Like it?"

Gabrielle: "I love it."

*Xena and Gabrielle in "Between the Lines."*

Xena Joke

True Times Report: "Lesbian Recruitment Rampant on Online Bulletin Boards"

Think the recruitment of innocent heterosexual women is a myth perpetrated by bored conspiracy fiends and insecure husbands? Think again. The Truth Times has uncovered a massive and insidious campaign by a well-organized organization of predatory lesbians who lurk on the bulletin boards on the Internet in order to convert women to their lifestyle. If your wife is online right now, you might want to read this report. Our correspondents Overfields and Overdale went undercover for five weeks on the USLPGAstudios bulletin board and in the process met several former housewives who had been violently ripped from their happy heterosexual homes after spending just a few hours a day reading through the posts on the Xena Warrior Princess bulletin boards. Lucy R is a prime example of just such a victim. (We have omitted the last names of the women interviewed as many of them are now attempting to reconcile with their husbands. We can say that Lucy R's husband is a prominent band leader in the New York Metropolitan area.) Lucy R, a vibrant redhead, spent many happy years catering to her husband's needs and trying to be in a show. Then one day when her husband R. was away, Lucy discovered the USLPGAstudios bulletin board. In a few hours she was completely addicted and found herself spending endless hours listening to eloquent descriptions by brilliant apologists for the lesbian lifestyle. It was the mystery that attracted her most, as the lesbians frequenting the board painstakingly analyzed the nuances of behavior of the two main female characters in the show, Xena and Gabrielle. "I had no idea that the turn of a phrase and the raising of an eyebrow had so much hidden meaning or that people could talk about it for pages and pages and pages," Lucy explained. Suddenly her own life began to look dull and drab. "One morning I was washing the dishes," Lucy told the reporter "and I started thinking about what all those lesbians had been saying. You know, about the way Xena held those turnips. Suddenly I just dropped the dish rag and ran downstairs to share a passionate "kiss of life" with my neighbor, Ethel M." Ethel M who had also been approached by lesbians on a Buffy board was undergoing her own transformations. "I think it was hearing about the glamorous lifestyle. You know one potluck after another, the never ending processing of feelings." Of course, Ethel was not exposed to the darker side of this lifestyle choice until she was well past the point of easy return. "No one warns you about the bad lesbians movies out there. Sure, sure..they never mention Claire of the Moon until they got you hooked." Ethel M and Lucy R are just two of a large number of women who have found themselves lured into this dangerous trap set for heterosexual women. Donna R, wife of a prominent doctor, after spending time on the USLPGAstudios board found herself reading Xena fan fiction and with grave consequences. Years of blissfully happy heterosexual lifestyle went out the window after reading a few short stories by Messy Great and CN Summers. Donna left her husband and her grown children, stopped shaving her legs and is currently living in a communal vegetarian household somewhere in San Francisco. And the lesbians behind this frightening crusade? What is their motivation? No one knows. The power? The thrill of it all? While The Truth Times doesn't have the final answer, it should be noted that since the bulletin boards opened there has been a 20 percent decrease in the number of toaster ovens in warehouses across America. Somewhere, toast is being made in ever increasing numbers. We let you draw your own conclusions. *Originally posted to the Tavern Wall message board by AuntyGab, December 17, 2000.*

==============================================

3) Featured Fan Fiction

Guest critic: Brian Davis

"Best Friend" by Katelin B. http://ausxip.com/fanfic/bestfriend.html

Review by Brian Davis: What begins as a hurt/comfort story following a battle in which Xena has been wounded, becomes a very sweet and very sexy first time story, quite simply the best I have ever read. The story assumes a completely virginal Gabrielle, so it's reasonable to take "Best Friend" as a first time story set before the events of "Return of Callisto"--probably sometime in the first season. Katelin B's grasp of the characters and their relationship is superb, and her ability to write erotica that flows naturally from the characters is unsurpassed. A classic.

I give "Best Friend" *****(5) stars.

=====================

"Redemption"

by Sword and Quill

http://www.ausxip.com/fanfiction/r/redemption.html

Review by Lady Adrell: This uber about prison life is an exceptional story. It is riveting. The dynamics between all the characters sucks the reader in, but the relationship between Uber Xena and Uber Gabby keeps you reading until the end. There is the right mix of love, sex, violence, intrigue, action, and conspiracy to make everyone happy. A definite must read!

I give "Redemption" *****(5) stars.

Star Rating

***** Truly superior in every way; a fanfic classic

****   Excellent; fine writing and characterization

***   Good, entertaining read

**     Better than watching Xena kiss Hercules

*     About as fun as watching Joxer kiss Gabby


============================================== ==============================================

4) Xena News

"Love In The Xenaverse"

By Lady Adrell

February, 2001

In this limitless place we call Cyberspace, there are vast amounts of people going here or there, searching for this thing or that, buying, selling, chatting, and e-mailing. In such a place, how would anyone find friendship or even love? People in Cyberspace are nameless, faceless entities; going about their cyber lives in relative peace. What are the odds of finding true love in such a seemingly cold place? When I first started surfing the Internet, I never dreamed of finding anyone that fit my ideals as a mate. After all, the Internet is a tool used to communicate, not a place for meeting people. Or so I thought. I'd spent a few years playing online role playing games before I stumbled into the Internet community that I'd soon come to know as the Xenaverse. This wonderful community opened up a whole new world to me. At that point, anything and everything was possible. In the Xenaverse, the odds are pretty good that love can be found. With chatrooms, mailing lists, discussion forums, clubs, and newsgroups, the Xenaverse has open opportunities for people to come together with like-minded individuals who are not only interested in Xena, but who also share other similar interests and beliefs. It was this way for many people, especially in the Xena subtext community. The camaraderie and friendly environment makes anyone entering feel as if they are home. Home at last, where all are eager to discuss the show that touches them deeply. My experience finding true love started on the Merwolfpack mailing list. I answered an inquiry about fan fiction that caught my attention. I started beta reading for the woman I knew then as Moon Child. From occasional e-mails, we moved to chatting online everyday. I would get on the computer and search for her. I couldn't wait to see her on-line, and this was still when we were just friends. Nothing romantic had been discussed between us, I wasn't even ready to be in a relationship at that time, but there was something about her that drew me. A month and a half after our first correspondence, we finally met. It was from that face-to-face meeting that we knew that we would not be happy without the other. It took us some time to admit it to ourselves, though. I've made many friends in the Xenaverse so I know that my experience is not an isolated one. Others have also found their soul mates in this tight community. One such person is Trish, a regular poster to the mailing list. She met her other half in much the same way as I did. "I was going through a very hard time last year (1999) and she responded to a few of my posts...privately," Trish recounted to me in an e-mail. "It got so that I went looking for her posts to answer first. Then she felt comfortable enough to share her own pain, and it wasn't a post a day, but three or four. Her words touched me deeply and so I did something I don't often do: I gave her my telephone number. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was a good week or so before she actually phoned. The kids and I were out and about, as per usual, and I came back to a phone message. I returned the call and then...well, we started spending hours on the phone, on ICQ and e-mail. "I think it was three months before we met in real life. Everything that had happened thru the ethers was there in the flesh. It's been a pleasure to watch our relationship blossom and unfold. We compliment each other...in every way. She is for me." I this same community, a true love blossomed in a different way for Jeanna and Cindy. An avid Xena fan, Jeanna surfed the net looking for fan fiction to satisfy her Xena craving. By chance she came across a message board that would take her one step closer to finding her true love. "I found some of the major sites right away through the Search Engine and a few Xena alt bulletin boards with the basic tools provided by Webtv. On one of these I left a trivia question, re: one of LL's appearances on another TV series and received just one reply...but a pivotal one, from a pup in England, Jo. She kept emailing me and urging me to read the collected works of Melissa Good, the queen of the bards in her estimation." Jeanna's e-mail went on to say, "I got hooked at once and added my name to the pack, not even thinking till a few weeks later to look and see if there was anyone else in my home state. Lo and behold, the first thing I see when I check it out is my obscure hometown, but not by my name. I cheekily emailed this person, we immediately struck up an ongoing conversation that blossomed into friendship and showed no signs of abating after a solid year of online communication. We finally took the plunge, met, and the rest, as they say, is herstory…She is the best thing that ever happened to me, my source, my soul mate, my kindred spirit, best friend, family." From the stories related to me, Jeanna's is the most common way love is sparked in the online Xenaverse. Two people who have found a common ground make a connection with each other that grows well beyond friendship and the confines of cyberspace. But the Pack mailing list is not the only place where such things can happen. I was involved for a year and a half in a Xena club at Yahoo called Xena's Subtext Talk. Several love connections were made in our little group. One of the first was by Lilbard and Chak, also known as Mel and Rachael. Here is what Mel had to say about their relationship and its beginnings: "Rachael and I first met in the Xena's Subtext Talk Club chat in the spring of 1999. When we weren't talking about Xena, we were grumbling about relationships and how we were both so glad we weren't involved with anyone. This went on for quite a few months, then one day I saw her picture for the first time, and was just blown away. There was something in her expression--in her eyes--and I was lost. We started chatting more on Instant Messenger and the phone after that, very often finding out we had a lot of things in common. One day we started talking about all the places we'd like to visit. That started our plans for a "World Tour", which also caused me to invite her to visit me." "Due to work and personal commitments, the visit didn't take place until over a month later, but the weekend finally arrived and boy was I nervous. I had NO clue whether Rachael liked me as a friend or maybe something more, but I was quite smitten. When she knocked and I opened the door to finally see her face to face, I was blown away. I just felt like we'd known each other forever. We spent the majority of the weekend watching Xena and movies and getting virtually no sleep. It was about 6am on Sunday that I finally found out that, yes, the feelings were definitely mutual. Thus began 7 months of weekend visits, 99% of which was Rachael coming the 6.5 hours to see me, before we finally made the big jump, and Rach moved in with me at the end of April, 2000."

The club was happy for this unlikely couple to have gotten together and stayed together over that period of time and over that distance. They were seemingly two different personalities, but they proved that love will find a way to bring people together, no matter what. Mel and Rachael's pair-up started a trend of pair-ups. Two very good friends of mine, Jen and Normie, found each other in the chat room in December of 1999. It took a few months for them to square away their lives and move in together. Another club member to be struck by Cupid's arrow of true love was Critter, also known as Laurie. Laurie was all too happy to share her experience with me for this article. "On a rather personal note, Lady A, as you well know, novice7_uk came to the USA for a 3 week visit in August of this year (2000). We met on the Internet in March of 2000 and she decided to come stateside for her vacation so we could get to know one another. "When she returned to the UK on August 20th, we had talked about me coming to visit for a while in October of this year. Well while she was in the USA we fell deeper in love than we ever imagined. We decided instead of waiting till the end of October we would move my scheduled flight up to Sept 17th, with the full intention of setting up a home together, which we have been doing since I arrived and living the rest of our lives between the 2 countries. This country is breathtaking, and the love I have for this woman is beyond measure, as hers is for me." I bet you are wondering how these stories end. In truth, they haven't ended. All the couples mentioned are still as happy together as they were the day they met. Trish and Sue have been living together since October of 2000. Trish reported that her children and Sue have formed a strong bond, and the family is living happily in their home in Canada. Jeanna and Cindy have been together for over a year and a half. Their love grew through their connection to Missy Good and Xena, and they continue to spend every chance they have together. Mel and Rachael have been living together for 10 months. They report that their living together has caused them to broaden their horizons after learning how little they really have in common, but they are very much in love and look forward to their long lives together. Jen and Normie have gone through a year of struggling to spend quality time together because work schedules were not allowing them regular hours with one another. Normie has recently changed vocations, giving them the much-needed time with each other they were looking for. Laurie resides now in England with her love since moving there late last year. They have made their "quaint" house into a place they can both call home. As for my baby, Jenn, and me, we've been together over 9 months now. We solidified our bond of love in December with rings we bought one another. Though not a true wedding ceremony, our vows to each other were binding and needed no witnesses. The Internet has made it possible for people to come together who would normally be separated by large distances. Through the computer one can now bring the world closer to them. In doing so, the chances of meeting one's soul mate greatly increases. Hence, the experiences I have shared with you are just a few out of the countless that are found in our part of cyberspace we call the Xenaverse.


5) Featured Xena Links

Sci-Fi.com http://www.scifi.com/xena/

Since Sci-Fi has been airing Xena, they have a nice little site dedicated to her. There are Episode guides, bios, a message board, picture gallery, and webisodes.

The Encyclopedia Xenaica

http://www.jps.net/mythology/xenaica/ex.html

At last it is here! The complete encyclopedia of Xena names and terms. Want to know how to spell Ephiny correctly? Then go to this website and find out how. Not only are there correctly spelled words but also definitions of the words to boot. This site is a "must-be-bookmarked-site" for bards.

==============================================

6) Xena: Warrior Princess Episode Guide

by Bacchae2

Episode twenty-two "Callisto" and Episode twenty-three "Death Mask"

"Callisto"

She's bad. She's scary. She's psychotic. And we love her for it! What a good bad girl she is. No one else quite like her, huh? The show went south when she went good. A savage introduction for a savage character. Oh, and we also meet Joxer. But enough about that. Gabrielle has learned a thing or two at this point, she's delightful to watch as she guards Xena's back, constantly moving behind her, the trusting W.P. perfectly still in foreground close-up. Also inspiring when she beats the snot out of you know who with her widdle staff. Now, that's the relationship between unequals in its proper place. Some more serious s&m in the X/C 'relationship'... already in this first episode Callisto is asking Xena to kill her and is enraged when she survives.

Subtext Rating: Campfire girls. Sigh. A significant scene, that heart to heart by the blaze. One of the best scenes they've played together. Some genuine human emotion there...few and far between these days...and pure tenderness. "Promise me." They bring each other to tears. We see Xena's "weakness" in the situation with Callisto, the kidnapping of Gabrielle. Xena rescues the fair maiden in distress. How ironic, then, in "Crusader" when Xena pretends to hoist Gab with burning rope to put Najara off balance. Even Xena still learns from experience. "People like us should listen to people like Gabrielle." That's what is sorely lacking in the near non-existent humanity of the show these days.

==============

"Death Mask"

Xena's brother. Remember him? Whatever happened to him? He was remarkably well cast. Tall, dark, handsome, penetrating blue eyes...yes, sis bore a startling resemblance to him! They could've been twins. He complements and matches her perfectly. When I idly wonder, I tend to wonder why this character, and another fascinating one like Velasca, were never invited back (instead of way too much of certain other characters...you know who I mean). At least he provided some good background development on Xena's destiny shaping battle with Cortes and the current sublimation of her once unquenchable thirst for revenge.

Subtext Rating: "Touching." It's the little things. The looks, the asides, sweet little moments like Gab touching Xena's arm ever so lightly when she leaves her with her brother for a family discussion. "She's doing to you what she did to our village," Toris tells Gab. In any other series they would've definitely made some move to have Gabrielle enamored of Xena's bro and vice versa. But not here, bless 'em. "She's brave because that's the way she is," he states with admiration, but Gab shows him (and us) exactly who has her full and undivided attention.

==============================================

7) Xena Poems

POEMS BY COUNTESS SHE FLUFFSTER

"Amazon Princess"

The arrows were flying

As she lay there dying

With Gabrielle's unselfish act

Was made the dying pact

You tried to help me

True Amazon you must be

With the Princess' words very last

She was given the Right of Caste

==============

"Joxer"

He's wearing a pink nightie

He's called Joxer the Mighty

He may not be so bold

But his heart is made of gold

Why is he so abused

Is it only to keep us amused

For you he will always fight

For in his heart it's right

He may not possess much strength

But for a friend he'd go any length

==============

"Bacchai"

Long forgotten

Countless misbegotten

Thirst for life

An endless strife

Arising at night

Shadows against the moonlight

All shrouded in black

With stealth they attack

Hypnotically they will

The blood they spill

How sweet the taste

To be taken in haste

Coursing their veins

Leaving lifeless remains

Those precious few

Their lives to renew

Alone in the dark

Another century to mark…

==============================================

8) Valentine Extras

SOUL MATES

By Suz Andreasen

One of the most valuable truths in love is that you never know what you will find around the next corner. Try as we may to understand the peaks and valleys of romance, it seems that as humans, we inevitably end up scratching our heads. Fortunately, there is always hope and a deeper truth to be found in love's game. I think Woody Allen put is best when he wrote, "The heart is a very resilient little muscle." I have often wondered where our souls fit into this grand plan. Many have asked me, over the years, to define the term "soul mate." Defining this word coupling proves itself a difficult task. Most people's understanding of this concept relates to their belief that in life, we all have one "true love." I have heard many people say they are seeking their "other half." Artists and poets alike have brought illumination to the subject through literature and song. Indeed, throughout the history of humankind, lies an inexhaustible fascination with the mysteries of the soul. Fate plays a big role in the hand of love as we search for connection, familiarity and destiny. We all seek a love that is "meant to be."

According to karmic traditions, a soul mate is someone we have known in a previous lifetime. Our friends in the present are companions from the past. In Hindu tradition, karma is interwoven with the relationships and experiences you have with people in your life. Following this formula, our souls evolve each time we learn a lesson. Our purpose here on earth is positive work and giving of ourselves. If we act with good conscience and truth, we will come back in our next lifetime on a greater spiritual plane. Yet, theology is not a defining factor because in the global community, we all embrace different traditions and teachings. The universal truth is that we all seek love by joining with others, bringing along our individuality and our uniqueness. I have fallen in love a few times, finding only one certainty: Love is an inextinguishable force. It arrives when it wants and departs when it pleases. Love manifests itself in every unique and wonderful possibility. The perplexity lies in recognizing love, finding the real thing. Finding a connection with another is not difficult if you heart is open. The "knowing" is the hard part. In life and in spirit, hope springs eternal and love must be a part of that.

Considering our fantasies and longings, we need to believe in the mystery of companionship and eternal love. There is no doubt in my mind that in order to find love, we must first believe in love. It is always faith, which delivers the answers. Hope springs eternal when we meet someone with whom we find that shared connection. A sense of wholeness abounds as we sail on the ship of love, destiny being our ocean. Through years of personal exploration, I have grown to believe that soul mates are about more than the heart. I believe that a soul mate is any person who enters our lives with greater meaning and purpose. Our souls evolve through loving others. Our lives evolve though the paths we choose. Yet, I encourage everyone to make the definition of "soul mate" a personal one. What counts in life and in love is the ability to know individual truth. If you make love your journey, finding your soul mate will be the destination.

*SUZ ANDREASEN is an Advice Columnist and Metaphysical Expert who resides in New York City. Along with her weekly radio show, (WBNY/FM - NYC) Suz is also the founder and CEO of The MindSite - The Online Home For The Metaphysical Traveler, today's leading metaphysical website. (http://themindsite.com/)*

==============================================

9) Feedback

Dear Lady Adrell,

I wanted to thank you for your kind review of my story "Subtext" in your 12th fanzine issue back in July. None of the email addresses seemed to be functioning on the website, Reviewer Fluffsterbrian helpfully supplied me with this one. :) Anyway, I am very happy to get a four star rating on this story. I credit that to my having four proofreaders on the story, as opposed to my usual zero proofreaders. you wrote: "Some actions are a bit out of character for the actresses but an entertaining story nonetheless!"

I admit to not really having a lot for Lucy and Renee to do, I didn't feel as free to write them as I did the characters. (It made me very nervous to write about real people.) So the story ends with Lucy not -ahem- giving in to Gabrielle, and Renee returning to her boyfriend, Steve. Yes, I know they're married by now in real life, so you can blame me. (chuckle) But I had fun writing it, and it's even more fun to see a review of it after all this time. And I learned a lot of Kiwi lingo. By the way, I was delighted to find someone actually translated my story into Spanish. Isn't that a kick? That version is at: http://www.samcabrera.com/xenaverso/fanfic/s/subtext.htm

Anyway, thanks again for the review. :)

-Ogami

=================

What a great tribute to Missy Good. There's so much substantive stuff packed into this Xine, that I don't think I can do justice to responding to all of it, but it certainly gave me a good appreciation of how much Missy Good's work has meant to her fans, and of how much her own epic parallel and alternate version of the story of Xena and Gabrielle has meant to fans of the series who have not always found satisfaction in what the series' writers have chosen to give us. The mention of Missy's extraordinary continuity regarding her story arcs and her commitment to the characters makes me wonder how the series might have been different if she had been a part of the regular writer/producer staff at Ren Pics. In any event, I can see how her work must have been a much needed comfort to the traumatizing effects of much of what we saw on the screen in season five. Excellent article on this, Bacchae, as well as on the uber phenomenon.

Sue, you did a wonderful job of relating the great experience that Missy and her fans had together during her visit to Chicago. Also, excellent interview with Missy; you really asked her some good questions.

And Bacchae, your episode review of "The Greater Good" made me nostalgic for Salmoneous again--a character who should have been in more episodes, but who the producers apparently decided wasn't worth bringing back. And you did a fine job of relating just how much substantive emotional content revolving around the relationship of Xena and Gabrielle had already been developed long before the end of the first season.

Lady Adrell, thanks for updating us on Steve Sears and what's going on with Sheena. I'm glad he feels the show has been going well, and I look forward to its premiere. As a fan of Johnny Weismuller Tarzan movies, the concept of a show about a female answer to Tarzan created by one of the best writer/producers that Xena ever had appeals to me quite a bit. I know, as Steve Sears pointed out, that it will not be another Xena--but hopefully, it may have some of that campy sense of humor and high adventure fun on a lower budget that Xena's early first season had--and with Sears behind it, have characters who will be allowed to grow and develop over time. Anyway, I certainly look forward to seeing what he has put together.

And best of luck to Missy on her career as a writer; I know from what she said in the interview that she's reluctant to embrace screenwriting as a full-time profession, but hopefully further successes in the area of professional writing may eventually convince her to embrace that route.

Brian Davis

If you have any comments, suggestions for content, or articles to submit to this Xine, then please contact Lady Adrell at exine@exine.tvheaven.com

==============================================

10) PRIVACY/NO SPAM POLICY! NO SPAMMING OR LIST SHARING! You can rest assured that your subscription email address will be kept in the strictest confidence. We do not divulge, nor make available to any third party, our subscription list. Your privacy is paramount to us! Therefore, it receives the respect it deserves!

==============================================

11) Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information

If this Xine was forwarded to you and you would like to receive your own free weekly copy; you can subscribe at http://exine.tvheaven.com or send a blank email to: xenaexine@listbot.com PLEASE NOTE: You are receiving The Xena E-Xine because you subscribed at http://exine.tvheaven.com, or you requested to be added to our subscriber list. To unsubscribe, send a blank e-mail to xenaexine-unsubscribe@listbot.com

==============================================

12) Credits

The Xena E-Xine Staff:

Chief Editor/Head Reporter/Writer: Lady Adrell

Editor/Head Writer: Bacchae2

Assistant Editor/Research: Cindy

Writer: ArdentTly

Writer: Dr. Rachel Jones

FanFic Critic: Staff

Website Analyst: Staff

Episode Guides: Bacchae2

==============================================

13) Archives

To read previous articles, please go to http://exine.tvheaven.com/archive.html Though changes are still being made, the new home of the archives is http://www.xenaexine.f2s.com. The old archive site will stay up for a while for everyone to make the adjustment.

==============================================

Though no love was harmed in the making of this Xine, it took us so long to get it published that the patience of the readers may have been compromised.

==============================================

You have permission to forward this to other people, and by all means, please do. The contents of this E-Xine may be copied, reproduced, or freely distributed for all nonprofit purposes without the consent of the author as long as the author's name and contact information are included, unless where otherwise stated. Example: Reproduced with permission from Lady Adrell or said author. All contents Copyright © 2001 The Xena E-Xine, except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

==============================================

THANKS FOR READING!

==============================================


READ THE NEXT ISSUE!

XENA E-XINE ISSUE VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2
THE GABRIELLE ISSUE