THE XENA E-XINE--POST PASADENA CON
Volume II, Issue 6 -- May 31, 2001
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Today's issue includes:
1. Feature Article -- ArdentTly's Con Report
2. Xena quotes
3. Featured FanFic and Short Review -- "This is a First Time Story"
4. Xena News -- News from Sharon -- "Background on R.J. Stewart"
5. Featured Xena Links -- Science Fiction and Fantasy: Xenite.org -- Amphipolis Village -- AmazonBon's Xena Realm -- Xena Warrior Lesbian -- Creation's Pasadena Con Report
6. Xena: Warrior Princess Episode Guide -- "Ten Little Warlords" -- "A Solstice Carol"
7. Pup Adventure-- "Wedding Bells For Lovesick Pups"
8. Thanks From Creation
9. Featured Article -- "I'm just a big ole fan"
10. Feedback
11. PRIVACY/NO SPAM POLICY!
12. Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
13. Credits
14. Archives
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Shameless Advertising
Music
Xena: Warrior Princess -- Original TV Soundtrack $13.49
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Xena: Warrior Princess -- Original TV Soundtrack Volume 2 $13.99
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Movies
Peach/A Bitter Song (DVD) $25.49
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1) Featured Article
Pasadena Con Report
By ArdentTly
5-23-01
It started out like something from a twilight zone ep, really. Our departure dates had been changed, leaving us riding one of those carts from one end of Vancouver airport to the other and no time to pick up our checked baggage. Even told it would be put on the next flight did nothing to assuage the gnawing fear that we'd never see it again.
We waited around forever and then finally got a ride on the Super Shuttle. I think the driver made the jump and thought it meant 'space shuttle' because he only knew one speed - supersonic. This is not necessarily a good thing as I'm sure we all but kissed a guard rail/sound wall on more than one occasion. He also must have been new at this because although we were getting places fast...it was lost that we got more often than anything else. Couldn't see the street signs as we flew past, I suspect. I felt sorry for the poor woman left on board once we departed at the Hilton. She was going on to San Bernadino to a wedding...that look on her face had me trying to talk her out of going on with him. Sue assured me that maniacal axe murderers rarely look like they are so she was probably safe.
Then on to our room...that couldn't be accessed until 3:00 pm. Oh bother. We left our baggage with Manual and then discovered we had a package waiting there for us. Thanks Donna and Taz for the great t-shirts you had made forus. They were wonderful! Then off to the con we went. I had to return once getting there because although the desk hadn't told us there would be a letter waiting for us, I discovered that Terri Lyn had indeed picked up her tickets and so they MUST be back at the Hilton. They were. Okay, so Sue picked up her tickets but we couldn't use them because we'd gotten an extra ticket and had sold it to QBeth who hadn't shown up...not that we'd recognize her if she had. I was also hunting high and low for my Dutch friend Carla and another friend Joyce who had our tickets. It was mayhem. I won't do it that way again. If there is an 'again'.
However, good tickets in hand we separated and off we went to our seats. Everyone will tell you of who was there, how they looked on stage, etc. What I will comment on is the air of urgency that seemed to permeate everything surrounding us. Although it was Friday, there would be a cabaret, another day of the convention and then...then Sunday.
The cabaret Friday night was...well, the first hour was filled with a rather lame example of what happens when you have Bruce Campbell and Ted Raimi on stage with less than stellar material. I'm sure both men are very talented but the skit of the mind reader was just pathetic. And then Hudson....if there is such a thing as the Lucy Effect then it follows there must be a Callisto Effect...and indeed there was! She was naughty, raunchy, fun loving, wickedly humorous and just stupendously entertaining.
And then off to the bars! I'd been thirsting for sambuca all day...okay, longer than that, having only had three hours sleep the night before. I needed a battery boost and found it in a couple of doubles.
Eight o'clock came bright and early the next morning and off to the bard's brunch we went. What a stellar group. I think someone said there were about 300 bards there. I believe it. Although I only had a brief glimpse of Xenamour, at least I can settle that little voice in my head that tried to say she was just a figment of my imagination. BARDamis, Di, Penumbra, Joann, TS, and a few others and I all made our re-connection, so that was great.
And then on to seeing Claire on stage. Yeah, she can work a crowd, almost as well as Hudson. I thought briefly of the idea of seeing Hudson, Alexandra, Claire and Lucy all up on stage at the same time...in a relaxed atmosphere...and I think my brain froze. Watching Claire and Alex pretending to be Xena and Gabrielle doing fanfic skits was more than a hoot...they made it come to life. And then there was the kiss, of course. It would have been pure delight all by its own but Alex sweetened the deal by putting her arm around Claire and pulling her into a deeper kiss. Yeah, that worked on just so many levels.
I met a friend I'd known on line for four years but never met in real life...she and I reacquainted ourselves with each other and Sambuca while Jo and Jenn made faces after sniffing our concoction. Such babes in the woods...Heh. At least my friend CJ and her gf Courteny were willing to try it...same outcome but well....it's an acquired taste. Me and licorice, what can I say? Carla gave me more Dutch licorice that should keep me supplied for another...month? Much to Sue's chagrin. She tried to keep up with Sambuca but switched to margaritas soon after.
The anticipation was palpable early Sunday morning. I was living life far too quickly to really stop and inspect my feelings. It just seemed like everything was coalescing nicely...this one moment in time when the shelf-life of the show was reached....Lucy and Renee's interview.
I've read more than one account of how distant both women seemed, how distracted Lucy was, and how very tentative Renee came across. Am I blind? I was in the forth row left middle and I'll tell ya, I didn't have a problem with connection. Lucy looked into the audience more than once, smiled, strutted her stuff, and goofed around with faces and such. Renee seemed to have more fun watching Lucy's antics. Both women responded wonderfully to Sharon, who did a great bang up job. I think the main reason some misunderstandings took place is because while the camera was on whoever was speaking, the main camera stayed on Lucy. There were four cameras that I could count and although it was unfortunate that the folks in the back only saw Lucy on the big screen for the most part, I believe it was totally unintentional.
IMO, the folks that are upset by the interview are because they were expecting Xena and Gabrielle to show up. As much as we'd like to say we 'know' both actresses, we can't. We can only know a small bit of who and what they are and even that has to be taken with a grain of salt. After all, who wants to go out there and strip themselves bare in every interview? You say and do what you can while keeping that part of you that is your own to yourself. I think they've done a great job at showing us bits of themselves over the years.
I didn't feel any of the uneasiness noted by some. It seemed to me that Lucy was trying to make herself invisible so that Renee could feel like she was the center of attention. Lucy seemed to be taking a back seat while on stage because that truly is what she was doing, IMO. She hunched her shoulders, put her head down and looked to be trying to disappear. Let Renee have the spot light, the fun, the thrill of being the center of attention. From what I've heard of Renee's other con, she was somewhat overwhelmed. I think she's grown up since then and knows what to expect now. In fact, I was expecting some trepidation but wow, she delivered!
It was only near the end when the final eps were being discussed that Renee looked a tad uncomfortable. But to me it seemed more of a pleading look to Lucy as if to say, 'what should we say?' What was too much info? I would think it very easy to just spill the beans about the end of this show. As mentioned by some, both women have had the final shots in the can weeks ago and have gone back to some sort of 'normal' routine in their lives. Besides, I'm sure having thousands of people staring at you expecting to see magnificent abs when you are five months pregnant might make a person a teeny weenie bit uncomfortable. Yes, Renee is a private person and trust me, being pregnant is like a magnet to some people: they feel they can invade your personal space and put their hands on you or impose their knowledge, negating your own, so having 5,000 strangers all looking at you when are preggers with your first is more than a little daunting - it must have been quite nerve racking.
I thought both ladies looked at ease and that they both enjoyed the whole thing. I did notice a catch in both women's voices near the end and I think it was quite a poignant moment. After all, they'd already had their good cry now the show is over...weeks ago. Was it long enough to get over something akin to a death? I don't know, I can't imagine it was, especially when faced with the outpouring of love and intense emotion this con provided. But then again this con appearance might have provided the final closure for them both.
I don't think I'll ever wonder what Xena sees in Gabrielle any more. I mean, the character of Gabrielle has never really grabbed hold of me in such a way as to show me why the warrior would keep her around. Oh, aside from the usual risqué comments I've heard and spouted myself, there had to be a reason Xena stuck around. Well, if what I saw on the stage is even a small part of who Gabrielle is, and it must be simply because they've been doing this for six damned years and some of Renee must have leaked into Gab and vice versa, then it makes perfect sense. Faltering with the lyrics of the song, looking so cute as she confessed that Gab's feelings for the warrior were maternal and being confronted by Lucy stating that there is only FOUR years difference between them, watching Lucy playing with those damned zippered pockets, looking like she'd forgotten to put something in them, and that lovely part when she told Sharon that getting back into a routine with the kids and house and wifedom was really a chore: 'What, do those kids need to be fed again? And you want ME to do it?', and seeing how very relaxed both women were about their characters and themselves were things I'll never forget. They truly were just two best friends that happen to have done a tv show together...not two women who met on the set of a tv show and only carry money away with them when they leave.
I looked at Lucy up on the stage and just...ate her up. I kept thinking what an utter joy it would be to just sit and have coffee with the woman. My damned camera crapped out twenty-five minutes into the segment so I tried doubly hard to just memorize every moment. I also knew this was probably going to be the last big con...probably the last one either woman will do, in truth. I've seen oodles of pictures and avi files and eps of Lucy being Xena and of Lucy being the on-screen actress, the one who poses for men's magazines, the one who does interviews...but to see her just being LUCY...what a gift. There she was with a pouty look on her face, kicking imaginary stuff with her Spiderman boots, chewing a fingernail (and me saying loudly, 'stop that!' Don't mar those hands!), hands behind back, waving her fingers at the crowd, fiddling with her ear, rubbing her chin...all the things one would do if they weren't being observed...gods, I revelled in all of it.
And when it was all over there I was this grown woman...hell, I have two teenagers in the house...no brain, but that's beside the point...and as the cast took the stage right after the last note was sung I sat there, tears streaming down my face, at a total loss, emotion wise. I expect it's akin to watching IOM. At least for me. It was simply heart wrenching. I felt momentarily lost as I walked up the aisles in search of Sue, wanting and needing that one place I could find solace...her arms. She would understand, she would see the truth of my pain and we'd be fine. And then I looked around and was re-grounded as a Xenite...not just this foolish woman who fell apart over a dumb tv show, a show that has made so many changes in my life that I can't ever think of it in such banal terms.
Little things I noticed: Renee wore tight clothing! There she is in her first pregnancy and she's just so damned happy about it that she wants to show the world. When Renee first came out I thought, 'is that Meg Ryan!?' And the comment that Lucy made about subtext and her not wanting it to be reduced to just being 'a naughty joke' really hit me...call it an epiphany. Their love, in what ever way we want to view it, is so damned rich that it defies description and therefore can't be labelled.
It took me half an hour into the interview before it registered that Lucy had a faux nose ring and then another bit before it sunk in that Lucy's breast size had shrunk. Me, the observant one, the person with sex always on my mind! Why? Because I wasn't seeing a Maxim picture, I wasn't watching an ep, or a tv guide shoot or stills from an interview. I was seeing Lucy the person. Did it matter what she looked like? She could have come out in some outrageous number with hair pink and looking hung over and I would have seen past it and just enjoyed who Lucy is. When I think of the many ways she shows how much she cares about the world and everything in it, it blows my mind. That she did this con is truly a gift.
Favourite moments: hearing Lucy sing with Renee; watching Sue get bold at the Pup Dinner; seeing Debb Abbott crawl in chains; meeting a bestest friend for the first time and realizing the past four years were real and true and so very special (love you, Deb and Sandy; having a total stranger hold my arm and tell me that my tears were hers too; talking with Lunacy; seeing CJ's face after sipping my Sambuca; being in the same room with a kazillion bards; watching Claire and Alex kissing; having fanfic publicly acknowledged; hearing Miss Ellie and her guitar; meeting Ro, TS, Joann, Fanatic and glimpsing Xenamour (you were hiding!); watching my Sue hugging Missy; sitting for hours with Alias and Meleager, feeling like a family; watching Sue's expression as I unknowingly bit into an espresso bean; taking a few quite moments to talk to Sharon D; having a few unanswered questions dealt with by Steve; and finally, knowing that even though the con is over and a sense of depression was setting in, I had Sue to share it all with - that and the rest of my life.
She asked me what my favourite part of the con was. I thought it must be LL/Roc, but no. I guessed again, thinking it must be the wild air of unpredictability when it comes to Claire, Hudson and Alexandra, but no. Surely it must be meeting so many online friends in real life. That has to be it! But no. It was everything and nothing you could put your finger on. It was a slice of life that had a shelf life...best consumed before a certain date: Monday, May 7th. It had its highs, lows and in betweens. It was filled with laughter, shock, amazement, happiness and yes, sorrow.
Down moments: incurring battery failure 25 minutes into the LL/Roc interview and then trying to memorize every moment, each word; wanting to share pictures of my kids with all those I've met online and not really getting around to every one of you; definitely watching the cast walk off the stage for the last time.
While cons might go on, this magic won't come this way again. THAT connection. THAT moment when I wondered if Lucy/Roc knew just how much of an impact they've had on our lives and then realizing it doesn't matter - we've been changed, like it or not. Oh, to be in the right place at the right time and have things click like they have these past six years. Okay, so there were bumps in the road...makes the destination that much sweeter, I suppose. Ah, but the ride!
So I'm easy...I feel privileged.
Just a few things in summary: I didn't go to the con expecting them to respond to me, individually or not. I don't feel they 'owe' me anything but what they've given over the last six years. I don't see either woman as a performing seal, with handlers that make them sit up and bark for the audience. I just don't. They have private lives, they are not the characters and them doing the con in the first place was wonderful. I think this was well choreographed, question and content wise, and when you consider just how many in the audience didn't respond the way they were asked (see Hudson giving numerous hugs and having pictures taken with her, even though the audience was asked previously not to). What about the folks that wanted to get into those lines and ask their questions but never got a chance because the time the star spent on stage was eaten up by folks not following the rules and making it hard for everyone else?
Why does the fact that I had to spend oodles of money, arrange respite care workers, etc. mean that they owe me anything? The fact is, Lucy and Renee think of this whole XWP series as being a great job. JOB. It's done and over with and although they appreciate the time and effort we fans give them, it is NOT the epitome of their existence. We've taken a magnifying glass and focused on just them for six long years...they are more than just the sum of these two characters - they have lives, loves, hopes and dreams that don't include us. That's pretty normal.
I had a pretty darned good seat this time. Did that mean I was less satisfied at the SM con because I didn't? Nope. I was just as pleased, just as wowed by Ms. Lawless, and just plain thankful that I could be part of it all. How could I ever be disappointed in seeing the one (okay, two) person/people I'd waited with baited breath for so long? And yes, I'd do it again...
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2) Xena Quotes
Xena: "I don't have the patience of Gabrielle, the Love of Eli or the
serenity of my mentor Lao Ma. I'm just an angry, ass-kicking ..."
Krishna: "... warrior."
Xena in "The Way"
Gabrielle: "I'm looking for my best friend. Maybe you've seen her? Six
feet tall, dark hair, lots of leather, fights like the Harpies in a bad mood? Her name's Xena."
Gabrielle in "Chariots of War"
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3) Featured Fan Fiction
"This is a First Time Story"
by Temora
http://ausxip.com/fanfic14/firsttimestory.html
Reviewed by bacchae: Well, just when you think you can't possibly find another original take
on The X&G First Time Tale darned if someone doesn't freshen the whole sub-genre with charm, intelligence, wry humor and a very clever format. Short, sweet, sassy, somewhat sultry, never saccharine. Brevity being the soul of wit, this ranks as a delicious miniature morsel. Four or five brit slang expressions that might be rather lost on an American audience, but they just serve to lend further charm. In a litany of Firsts this is a first-rate telling, a panoply of moments, a prelude to blissful interludes...discreet blackout. "The Past is Prologue." (The Bard...of Avon)
I give "This is a First Time Story" ***** five stars!
Star Rating
***** A must read for any Hard Core Nutball!
**** It is worth your while to read.
*** It's better than getting punched in the face by Xena.
** Maybe a go-round with Xena isn't a bad idea..
* Shoot me...shoot me now!
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4) Xena News
Sharon Delaney
5-24-01
Just got word that in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, the Xena finale will be shown as a two-hour, prime-time movie on Saturday, June 23. In NY and LA, it will be shown from 8 - 10 PM. Local WGN in Chicago will be from 7 - 9 PM. The WGN satellite feed will be done in two parts -- I would guess on two separate weeks. Check your local paper for dates on that. Not sure about other cities, but you might want to check with your local station to see if they are also planning to run it as a two-hour movie.
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"Background on R.J. Stewart"
By Lady Adrell
5/29/01
It has been brought to my attention recently by my co-editor that R.J. Stewart not only works with Ren Pics, but was also thought to be a successful writer outside the company. From a bio in one of the books by this other R.J. Stewart, "Legendary Britain: An Illistrated Journey," it says that he's a "highly acclaimed international teacher and writer on Celtic mythology, Faery and UnderWorld spirituality, magic and the imagination, music and consciousness. His books are known worldwide in many languages, and he has composed and recorded music for feature films, television, and theater." Doppelganger?
It would've been easy to see in the show where the mythological facts--which become distorted Xena facts--come from. The other Mr. Stewart has shown us through his writing on Xena just how talented he is. But it's worth giving his namesake's books a try.
Other Titles
"Classic Celtic Fairy Tales" -- Introduction by
R.J. Stewart
"The Living World of Faery" -- By R.J. Stewart
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5) Featured Xena Links
Science Fiction and Fantasy: Xenite.org
http://www.xenite.org/
Xenite.org is host for the biggest Xena resource page on the net, which we've featured before, Xena Online Resources. They also host the Hercules and Xena Banner Exchange and Webring. Not only will you find great Xena sites through Xenite.org, you can find a great source of sci-fi and fantasy there as well.
Amphipolis Village
http://www.xena.com/
This site is packed full of Xena. A newsletter, ep descriptions, webisodes, fanfic, chatrooms, Xena e-mail address, quizes, and all kinds of other things. A great site to spend several hours surfing through.
AmazonBon's Xena Realm
https://members.tripod.com/~AmazonBon/
It's rare to find more than just random quotes at any site. But AmazonBon has whole dialogues from every ep through season 6. There are some downloads and official pics as well as pics from various cons. This site is great when you're looking for quotes.
Xena Warrior Lesbian
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/4580/
For subtext fans, this is a great place to go. The eps are broken down and analyzed for subtext. Meet others in the chatroom or post to the message board. This is a fun site to play around in.
Creation's Pasadena Con Report
http://www.creationent.com/PAST_EVENTS.html
Click on the Pasadena 2001 link and you'll be in for a treat. Some awesome up close pics of the cast with some comments. What a great time!
CNN XWP SPFX REPORT
Editor's Note: As of Oct. '03 this online piece based on a CNN tv news report of the amazing special fx of "Fallen Angel" was still posted on the web.
http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/TV/9910/01/xena/
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6) Xena: Warrior Princess Episode Guide
by Bacchae2
Episode Thirty-two "Ten Little Warlords" and Episode Thirty-three "A Solstice Carol"
"Ten Little Warlords"
Lucy's little vacation. With Xena still in Callisto's body, there's a certain...tension between her and Gabrielle. And she still has that patented Callisto blood-curdling scream--if there was an award for scream queens she would win the Golden Uvula. That girl has a knack for extreme behavior. Supposedly Hudson kept asking Renee, 'WWLD'? (What would Lucy do?) This ep gave Hudson and Kevin (Ares) a chance to play nice and behaaave. Gab: beautiful when angry. The more than usually feisty (due to the loss of Ares' godhood provoking a sudden rush of testosterone poisoning in the population) bard is ready to beat the snot out of Joxer and, dammit, that's just the way we like it.
Subtext Rating: Beaches. Gab's anger has some sexual tension in it -- "Get your hands off of me." When Xena finds out that Ares "had' her when Callisto was in her body she shudders and desires nothing more than a nice hot cleansing bath (Gabby, stoke up the fire under the hottub). That little transition back to form and walk along the beach together at the end...sigh. All's right with the known world once again.
===========================
"A Solstice Carol"
Every show has to do an Xmas story. Seems to be a WGA rule. Write by the numbers. Phone it in. Usually based on the granddaddy of all such tales, "A Christmas Carol." This one seemed more like a rather silly first season ep. But is increasingly endearing upon further viewings. Good trivia question: what did Gabby name the donkey? And that jolly old elf...Sentacles. But the First Family traveling under the Xmas Star is a bit too precious since we are very B.C. here. And, clearly, we see the pagan roots of Xmas and all its trappings. Gab invents something for a change!...the hula hoop.
Subtext Rating: The Greatest Gift. We'll see that gift again another year down the road. All Xena could afford to give her, something she had cherished as a child, her only possession which she then will pass on to her daughter. "Gabrielle, you are a gift to me." Are those the sweetest words ever spoke by warrior to bard?
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7) Pup Adventures
Wedding Bells For Lovesick Pups
By Lady Adrell
May 10, 2001
When I thought about my wedding as a child, I imagined myself in a white wedding gown, in a church, vowing my undying love and devotion to the man of my dreams in front of my family, friends, and God. Sister, was I wrong! The reality was that my wedding would happen in a hotel room at a Xena convention, with me in a black suit, vowing my undying love and devotion to my soulmate, the woman of my dreams, in front of Merpups (many of whom I didn't know), a few friends, and God. Talk about a switch, huh?
The fact of the matter is I wouldn't have had it any other way. At first I was a little leery about getting married to my lovely wife Jenn at a Xena Convention. I mean that doesn't exactly scream romance. But it was Xena who brought us together over a year before--as well as Missy Good and the pups, but I'll get to that in a bit-and to be at the Pasadena Con with the show ending and Lucy and Renee showing up for a last good-bye, it seemed so perfect. Now throw in a gallon of Merpups to the mix and you have the icing on the cake-chocolate of course! Since Jenn and I had met on the MerWolfPack mailing list, pups had to be involved in our ceremony in some way.
A wonderful pup, Miss Ellie, was gracious enough to take the time out of her Con schedule to marry us lovebirds. We'd heard about her from Doc, the Minstrel Pup and Grand Monkey of her own universe, who mentioned that Miss Ellie was a minister. Now we had never met Miss Ellie, we only knew her from seeing some of her posts on the list and also that she had taken good care of Doc when she flew back to New York for the Xena Con earlier this year. Anyone who would take-in Doc and keeps her was highly regarded in our book, so we thought, what the hell? When we contacted Miss Ellie about maybe conducting our ceremony, she agreed wholeheartedly.
With the ceremony confirmed, we not only had the regular Con stuff to worry about, now we had our ceremony to plan for. Hair pulling, cursing, and chaos ensued during the week before the big weekend; due in no small way to my leg being gashed open by a shattered glass. I limped around on Wednesday and Thursday trying to pack for the vacation, while Jenn scurried to and fro, knowing she was going to forget something. I was cool and collected and she was Speedy Gonzales on crack.
Once in Pasadena, we found that where our room at the Sheraton was located there was a special key that allowed access to enter our hallway. Only those worthy of the key are allowed to pass.
Great! More stress to add to what we--Jenn-- already felt. We would have to assign a "hall monitor" or something, to let pups in. The room itself could hold a good number of people, but we didn't expect droves of pups to show or we would have had a problem. The stage was now set for the ceremony. All we had to do was wait for Friday.
It came too fast and not fast enough. Those of you who have been married know that the worst hours are right before the ceremony starts. Now throw in the fact that you have never met the person who is performing your ceremony, and have not gone through a practice run to know what is going to happen. On top of that, you have no idea the number of people who will show or who all of them even are. Worst of all you do not know if they will even be able to get past the door at the end of the hall that needs the special key to open it. Oh, and there was that Convention thing going on too.
Time was nearing for the start of the ceremony. We dress: Jenn in her sexy brown suit, and me in my equally sexy black suit. It's then I realize that I haven't worn that suit in several months and have gained enough weight to be uncomfortable in it. A word of advice: try on your clothes before you wear them to your wedding. Now we're dressed and ready, sitting around waiting for people to show up.
Nervous yet, Joanna? Oh quit!!!!!!! I make sure that everything is ready for our guests, how many, who knows? Pacing, pacing - it's all I can do to not burst out of my skin. Jenn: sprawled on the bed watching TV, as calm as calm could be. Joanna: pacing, pacing, brushing my hair, do I look okay????????? The phone rings and I practically jump through the ceiling. It's our friends Cortney and CJ. Good, someone for me to focus on. Except that I don't remember what they said to me. How do you remedy nervousness? ALCOHOL! I'd have drunk the whole 12 pack of beer we had in the cooler if they would have let me. Jenn continues to casually sit and talk with our friends as I pound back the beer.
The phone rings again. It's Mar with the cake. Yippy, we have cake! Now all we need are more guests, Doc-our Best Lass of Honor, who has the rings (and wearing an impressively sexy kilt and short tux jacket)-and the wonderful Miss Ellie. Luckily for my sanity, I didn't have to wait long for any of them. Miss Ellie shows up with a few people and we take a few moments to go over the ceremony. Kennedy had made a beautiful hand-fasting rainbow tie, which Miss Ellie gave to us-we promptly hand it to Doc. Then we get our wedding certificates, which we sign in turn; Jenn and I, Doc, and Miss Ellie.
Much to my unnerved chagrin, we still cannot start the ceremony. No wedding ever starts on time. We still are waiting for some people to show. When the last of the guests arrive, we promptly take our places; Jenn on the left of Miss Ellie and me on the right, Doc behind us across from Miss Ellie. If you wanted to know what Miss Ellie said, those eloquent words that were to bond my love and I for all eternity, you'll have to ask someone else. I don't remember word one that was said. Sorry folks, I was focused on one thing, Jenn's brown eyes.
When it came time for the vows-doh-we hadn't written any. This was a major mistake on my part. Another piece of advice for everyone reading this, when your woman tells you to ask the person conducting your ceremony any question at all, you do so immediately! So I forgot one tiny little thing. Sue me. The look I received for Jenn was one of panic mixed with anger mixed with fright. But I recovered fast-yeah right-and said that I would go first. In situations when I'm nervous and then have to think on my feet, I'm horrible. But I endured the awkward silence and complete attention of the room focused on me while my blank mind scrambled to think of something, anything touching to say. Anything to make Jenn stop giving me the "your dead" look.
I stumbled through my vows of eternal dedication and love to my one and only, tears streaming down my face and choking my every word. Any ounce of butch blood I once had flowing through my veins was expelled with every tear shed. My vows said I took a deep breath and waited for Jenn to say hers. She held onto my hands and turned to the room and said, "How do I follow that?" I had taken all of her vows to say to me and she was left with nothing original to say. Oopps. Maybe I should have let her go first. Needless to say she got through her vows--tearless--while I tried to keep myself from crying again.
Then Doc fasted our hands together with the rainbow tie, and Miss Ellie read to us a poem. Again I don't remember what was said only that it was lovely and fitting. I was much too busy looking into the splendor of my new wife's eyes to notice much of anything. Then she said you may kiss and we did. Flash, flash goes the cameras, and "Awwww" go the guests. But wait! We forgot to put on the rings. Doc gave each of us our respective rings to place on the finger of the other. I went first, feeling quite satisfied that I hadn't cried again and the quietly waited as Jenn slipped my ring into place. Then we kissed again. We had to make it official.
Next came the toasts. Almost everyone made a toast, starting with our Best Lass of Honor. I surprised Jenn by toasting her. She fought the tears as I once again dedicated my heart to her---forever. It was time then for Doc to sing to us. We'd asked her to sing something at our ceremony but she didn't know what to sing. She suggested our favorite song and we agreed. With her guitar in hand she sang "Amazed" by Lone Star. The beverages and cake were brought out as everyone mingled, Yuri and FuzzyButt the Elder took pictures aplenty, and I finally began to relax.
It is something that I'll never forget, even if I don't remember what was said. Words are fleeting but emotions are with us always. I am grateful to those who showed up for our ceremony and to those who supported us. Everyone made our day special with his or her well wishes and congratulations. Thank you Miss Ellie for taking the time to join two soulmates at a time and place where time was at a premium. Thanks Doc for being you. Thank you pups for being our pack. Thank you TrueXena for creating the den where we met. But I think it is to Missy whom we owe our most gratitude. Without her itch to write and share that with others, Jenn and I may not be together. And one last thank you to my wife, my Anam Cara, and my best friend. I'm better because of you and am thankful every day of my life for having you with me. Never change.
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8) Thanks From Creation
5/10/01
A GIANT THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ATTENDED OUR PASADENA EVENT
All of us at Creation Entertainment would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the thousands of Xena fans who were with us this past weekend. From the opening of pre-registration on Thursday to the Costume Contest finale on Sunday, this event was a wonderful experience for us.
Our thanks also to the outstanding guest stars that made the weekend so memorable. Each and every performer was a pleasure to deal with and really gave their all to the convention.
From the very start of our long relationship with Xena it has been an honor to work with Renaissance, Universal Studios Consumer Products, Studios USA, Rob, Lucy and Renee. It is our sincere hope that this past weekend serves as a wonderful lasting memory for all those who love the series and its stars.
In the near future we will be posting some exclusive backstage photos from the convention at our website. We'll let you know when that is ready!
And of course, our work on Xena continues with new conventions, merchandise, and the continuing fan club. Please visit us at http://www.creationent.com/ for the latest.
Take care,
Your friends at Creation
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9) Featured Article
Convention Report:
"I'm just a big ole fan"
Sue Winter
5/25/01
Having been to the Pasadena Convention I was asked by the Xine editors to write a report for this post-con issue. Seems an easy enough assignment, yet I find myself at a loss as to how to adequately describe what I saw and experienced and how it made me feel. There was just so MUCH going on that it was sensory overload! I'm not even going to attempt a blow by blow recap of what happened on a daily basis - for some wonderful write-ups of daily convention activities please go to Mary D's convention page, where she also has some marvelous pictures posted: http://ausxip.com/news/2001con/index.html
I suppose the most lasting impression I have of the con was the almost surreal total immersion in all things Xena. Everywhere we went in Pasadena we were surrounded by Xenites in all shapes and sizes - in restaurants, in coffee houses, in bars, just walking down the street and even in Target there were nutballs everywhere! Thousands upon thousands of us. No longer was being a Xena fan something we did alone or with just a few friends or online with our computers our only physical company. For three amazing days being a Xenite was something to really shout and crow about for a change.
And yet, while I was in the middle of it - it all seemed so natural that it only briefly registered that this was an extraordinary occurrence. Seeing so many people in Target wearing Xena t-shirts only merited a passing glance. Sitting on the hotel patio late in the evenings and having every single table filled to brimming with people talking about Xena prompted a smile and a nod, only a momentary acknowledgement of the specialness of the time. But now I look back in total amazement at such occurrences. Not many of us are brave enough to wear our Xena t-shirts in public. And while we DO talk about Xena in public - it's usually in somewhat of a whisper and never with the openness and normal tone of voice that were heard in Pasadena.
The convention itself also seems surreal to me. Yes, I was there - and so were 4000 others - but looking back I'm finding the whole thing to be quite unbelievable. Did I really use the bathroom several times at the same time as Claire Stansfield and Alexandra Tydings? Were they REALLY there in the same bathroom as I was? Did I really wash my hands in the same bathroom a few sinks down from Darien Takle (Cyrene - Xena's Mom!)? Did I actually watch her fix her hair? Did my friend really watch Hudson Leick, Claire, Alex, Adrienne Wilkinson and Tim Omundson all stroll by her together - only an arm's length away? Did she really watch them all stop and warmly chat with the fans? Did I really start to find the sight of Ted Raimi and Bruce Campbell walking thru the crowd commonplace and not worth much notice? Did I actually hear Claire and Alex read FANFIC?! And then - did I really see them kiss? But - the biggest disbelief of all - was I really and truly in the same room (albeit a very large one) with Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Conner?
Well, yes - those things actually happened!
How can I possibly describe all the myriad of feelings that the above occurrences aroused in me? Well, I simply can't. It was wonderful, amazing, fabulous, touching, bittersweet and honestly - often quite shocking. Unfortunately, that just doesn't adequately describe it all. I guess it's safe to say I haven't really decompressed from the weekend yet and it may be a long while before I do. The con, and the inevitable ending of the con, are so inextricably tied up with the ending of the series in my mind that I just feel that there's something more to the story. A story that hasn't been told yet. Suffice to say for now that the convention weekend was a marvelous and indescribable experience - one which I would not have missed for the world.
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10) Feedback
General Comments
Hi there, Lady Adrell!
A friend of mine passed on your last e-zine to me ... I post FF under Temora. I was very pleasantly surprised to see a featured (and very kind) review of one of my stories, Quality Dying Time. Man, thanks! There is no such thing as too much publicity.
--Temora
Wow - you are seriously prolific with your writing! Wish I could get myself to write when I need to! Great zine!
--JAG
Comments about Issue 5
I'm not sure I'm the best person to provide feedback for this latest Xine, since I'm not a fan of the music refered to (either that of Melissa Etheridge--though I do admire her public coming out--or the radio-friendly soft rock pop ballads refered to). Just personal taste--no disrespect intended. I also am not one who has a mind that tends to associate songs about love and relationships with film or TV characters--no matter how real they've become to me; rather I tend to associate such songs with real life. The exception is instances where a very good song has been prominently incorporated into an actual scene in a film or TV show--such as "When Time Goes By" in Casablanca, or the prominent use of Patti Smith's "Pissing in a River" in a scene of real emotional resonnance for me in the film All Over Me (the best coming of age film no one has ever seen).
I agree that the music of Joseph Lo Duca for XWP has been exceptional, grand, and often very romantic, and this is the music that actually conjures up Xena and Gabrielle for me.
It was an interesting article about a phenomenon that I know is common in fandom though--I've seen "Songs That Remind Us of the Relationship" on Xena BB's, and I saw a similar thread on a Willow/Tara shippers board.
Agree that Intimate Stranger is an exceptional ep on many levels--reminds me again of how important Steve Sears was to the show and characters. The Pasadena Con sounds like it will be grand, too--though I'll probably never be able to afford the thousands of dollars to make that pilgrimage--but that is true of the cons for other fav shows as well.
If you want to use any parts of this letter as Xine feedback, that's fine; if not, that's fine too. I
really do admire the continued creativity, love, and effort you all continue to put into this venture.
-- Brian
Hey Bacchae,
Just wanted to say I really enjoyed the latest exine, especially your article about Melissa Etheridge/Xena fan fic connection. I love all the X&G tribute pages you've done, I especially like the 'I'll Stand By You' page. I love that song (and thanks to you I now know all the words!) --Jo
If you have any comments, suggestions for content, or articles to submit to this Xine, then please contact Lady Adrell at LadyAdrell@aol.com
(We are accepting submissions for featured articles. Send to above address.)
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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!
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11) Credits
The Xena E-Xine Staff:
Chief Editor/Head Reporter: Lady Adrell
Editor/Head Writer: Bacchae2
Assistant Editor/Research: Cindy
Writer: ArdentTly
Research/Reporter: Sue Winter
FanFic Critic: Staff
Website Analyst: Staff
Episode Guides: Bacchae2
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12) Archives
To read previous articles, please go to
http://exine.tvheaven.com/archive.html
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No Creation Conventions were harmed in the production of this Xine-- Creation can screw up just fine on their own. However, life has yet to get back to normal after such a great weekend.
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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.
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THANKS FOR READING!
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