We all love fandom, it's such an awesome place

[laliandra]

My LJ is ONE! *gives LJ cake*. More on that later.

You guys, I am IN a fandom. I mean, I have other fandoms, I love other fandoms, I write for other fandoms. But I've realised that I am in the marmalade_fish .

It's a weird thing for me, because I am usually a lurker extraordinaire. And I'm not a very good fangirl, in many respects. I could never be in a ship war. I can overlook adaptation decay. For me, fandom is more about getting to meet people who love what you love, being able to share that. Fandom is my Happy Place, and I've totally lucked out with the people I've met through it.

Which is why when there was a chance to go meet my fellow marmfish for a picnic, I couldn't say no!

Firstly I stayed up far too late watching American Idol with Kara, so the only sleep I got was on the coach. But I managed to make it safely to Victoria and meet Boo ( who had made us labels! Cute labels with pictures!) and then Play and then PR and then Van and Rav and Isi.

We trailed through St James Park holding our jar of marmalade aloft. God only knows what people thought we were doing. The lure of the marmalade netted us Emily and Evenine, who had arrived that morning from Australia!

And then we picniced, in between talking non stop about books and films and generally getting distracted half way through sentences.

We also read out Sarah's fabulous Half Blood Prince Parody. I was being distracted and so got stuck with All Other Roles, which meant I got to be Luna AND Filch AND Cormac. 

This is probably my favourite picture, in which Dumbledore (playwithfyr ) councils Harry (ravelqueen ) while indulging in an Eccles Cake.


And then we spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to get a picture of us all, battling the Great Evils of camera timers, falling over supports, PR running too slowly and General Smiling Fail.

But here we are, a merry band of marmfish, and a bonus Fake News Interloper (can you spot him?)


Then we went for a walk around Fair London Town, which included nearly getting run over outside Downing Street, navigating by luck and an encounter with this statue.



Van: Does that statue just say "Clive"? Who is Clive?
Me: It's-
Van: Wait, there's something else. I think it says... Clive the Man Whore?
Fishes: Fall about laughing
Van: So good they built him a statue.
Me: Um. It's Robert Clive. Clive of India? Never mind. I like Clive the Man Whore better.

We spent the rest of the day on The South Bank, then it was back to PR's for me, play, Rav and Boo. We got pizza (ordered under the name Fish), and played Guitar Hero and chatted until 3am, in our nest of duvets and sleeping bags and soft toys.

The next day we took turns supervising Play making cupcakes. It's not that we don't trust her, it's just that she encourages people to play with fire. Me and Play may have turned them into more half icing half cake creations, which we took to our picnic outside Foyles. Foyles is, in fact, a bookshop, the perfect bookshop, in fact. It had a window display of many lovely supernatural books including The Demon's Lexicon, and deckchairs and grass upon which to picnic. What could be better?



And then, THEN, we went to the IMAX to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. With 12 whole minutes of 3-D! We had to rope two random people into joining us to get a group ticket. They were looking somewhat perturbed at the prospect until they found out they didn't actually have to sit with us.

Which was probably a good thing.

3-D Trailers: *Start*
Fishes: Ooooo!
Rav: *Clutches Lal's arm everytime something comes towards them*

HBP: *starts*
Fishes: OOOOO! Hi 3-D Hottest Waitress In The World!

Dumbledore: *touches Harry's arm*
Van: *Holds up a finger*
Lal: Score One for Innapropriate Student/Teacher moments!

Draco Malfoy:*glowers, prettily*
Rav: OH DRACO *reaches out for screen*
Lal: Remember Ladies, Draco Malfoy is not your boyfriend.

MUCH QUOTING FROM sarahtales 's PARODY LATER

Snape: *pushes Draco up against a wall*
Van: Twenty Two!
Lal: This would be the most hardcore drinking game EVER.

Burrow: *burns down*
Lal: I always forget that this isn't canon. It only happened in fanfic. Oh dear.
Rav: Wait, really?

Film: * Is generally funny, touching, perfectly teenager-y, beautifully shot and well acted*

Fishes: Discuss the hilarity of Wizarding Genetics. You get to look like you father! But with your mother's eyes! That's how genetics works, kids! Also, Final Count of 36 innapropriate moments.

Then we went and bought books. Well, I say we bought books, I stealth read books and Van bought erotica. Then we found our very own busker! Or at least one that seemed to fit with the marmfish agenda.

Busker: *sings song about an alien*
Fish: Do you know any songs about zombies?
Busker: Um. No. But here is something similar! *sings song about serial killer*
Fish: *cheer*
Other Spectators *notice matching Demon Mark Necklaces, edge away from Potential Death Cult*

Then he sang rude songs and blamed us. The rest of the fish blamed me. I am resigned to such things.

Then we had to leave for trains and coaches and the like, after group hugs and pendant hugs and tube shenanigans, I got to Victoria Coach Station. FIVE MINUTES TOO LATE.

Lal: *phones PR*
PR: Oh man, me and Rav are just about to go into the theatre. If you'd only phoned five minutes earlier...

So I got to sit outside the National Theatre for 3 hours. It was surprisingly fun, actually, because London is cool and interesting, and the theatre has a square outside it full of people reading and picnicing. Plus it is very pretty at night.



And then we went back to PR's and me and Rav talked about language for three hours. PR mostly slept, then claimed not to be sleeping every half hour or so. So I did not mind missing my coach all that much. Especially because the next day I got to witness

PR: *runs into room where Rav and Lal are sleeping* I GOT IN!
Which was her way of informing us that she got marvellous A-level results and is going to her first choice university.

And I got to have Japenese food with Rav (student of Japanese) and find out that she has been to my friend from school's house, because he is a friend of a friend. How random is that? Marmalade Bonds of Destiny!

And then I went home, finally!

A Good Time Was Had By All.

Comments

[mcollinknight.livejournal.com]

YAY for LJ birthdays!

It sounds like your marmfish picnic was tonnes of fun... alas for me being on the other side of the atlantic (and I did spot your Kenya bracelet in the many pictures).

You *would* know the person the statue was of. That's all I have to say about THAT.

Also, meeting people from the internet! How very brave of you! I imagine SRB's followers tend to be rather more awesome than the regular internetters, however :)

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

This also means we have been LJ friends for a year! \o/

Alas indeed, it would have been a awesome cherry on my cake of delight. You were represented in bracelet form...

Oh I know. Je suis dork. It was my job to explain who all the statues were to the foreigners.

I know! It is most unlike me! But we hang out in the marmfish chatroom a lot, and I'd already met some of them at the signing, so it was not too scary.

They are SO awesome. SRB must have a magnet or something.

[miabee023.livejournal.com]

... that sounds like the best day ever, my god. My 3D Harry Potter experience was fun, but not as awesome as that, not even close. I feel like I have not gotten into the marmfish community at all, despite the fact that I watch it. I dunno. I guess I am too busy with Havemercy, it seems.

Clive the Man Whore amused me yea verily, though.

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

It really kind of was. And I didn't mention lots of other things! Like singing songs from Moulin Rouge in the street and Boo's Demon Mark umbrella and...

It is a really cute comm. We have chatroom, you should come hang out with us sometime! http://www.chatzy.com/283432987809

Clive the Man Whore amused me way too much. I can't even remember what the statue actually said now...

[miabee023.livejournal.com]

I dunno. While I deeply enjoyed The Demon's Lexicon (mostly thanks to Nick's hotness and Jamie's cute), I did not fall madly in love with it like it seems many people have. And I would feel a bit out of place, honestly. Like I was indirectly raining on someone else's parade.

That's the thing about Europe (and particularly Britain) - you all have so many statues, just, all over the place, like some kind of slowly evolving cast-iron plague of men looking ponderous off into the distance. I am not surprised you cannot remember, I assume it would be like background noise if you had lived there for any great period of time.

[greenfaeriedust.livejournal.com]

Sounds brilliant. Made me giggle lots. Not for the first time I wish I lives closer to London. The marmfish are a wonderful, crazy bunch. :)

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

That they are. I think I live just as far from London as you, in fairness! But I realise not everyone has the time to spend on coaches...

We totally called the ruffled bangs of misery, too.

[khasael.livejournal.com]

And the Sweater Vest of Woe?

[isil-helyanwe.livejournal.com]

You were hilariously close to my house that day. Sounds like you had fun!

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

Well damn! I got all "London I miss you, I love you" at various points...

[altogetherisi.livejournal.com]

...I had no idea that happened to you after I went home, but I'm glad it ended well.

Can I just say, I know exactly what you mean about marm_fish being a fandom we are really in? Like, I've been on the edge and involved generally in loads of fandoms, but this one I'm in to a totally different degree, and its so lovely! :D

And happy birthday to your LJ!

[hanelissar.livejournal.com]

I was going to write my own gleeful comment but then I read Isi's comment and thought 'Now that is everything I wanted to say except more eloquently put' so I thought I'd just tag along and say 'ditto!'

Although obviously the first line is tragically non-applicable to me, so I'd change that to 'What a glorious and delightful few days you had - I am ever so jealous but happy for you more!'

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

Yay the marmfish! It is a magical place.

Next time will be even better. I just know it. Because that is how the marmfish roll...

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

Mmmhmm, it turned out to be too expensive/complicated to get home that night. So, bonus day in London! Hilariously, PR and Rav went to see "Alls Well That Ends Well"

[cellophane_ria.livejournal.com]

Woo, happy birthday Lal's journal! :)

That all sounds outstanding! Marmalade fandom must be really nice to belong to;) Note to self: must finally buy and read Daemon's Lexicon, drat. Maybe now I'm officially employed I'll manage to buy a foreign book from time to time despite the currency exchange rates;)

Also, I think Clive the Man Whore may be now on my list of things to see besides Kew Gardens. :D

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

:D

It is ridiculously lovely as a fandom. I don't know about Poland but it is definitely out in Russia? Anyway if not you can get the English version shipped for free from thebookdepository, or so I hear.

Clive is handily located in a really interesting bit of London! I will point him out to you...

[cellophane_ria.livejournal.com]

Nah, we have only Cassandra Clare and Holly Black from the fandom-immersed fantasy writers, as far as I know (which may be rubbish - I tend to buy English books anyway, because if I'm caught reading YA, it's called learning English, and besides the translations could be horrid). But thebookdepository is a beautiful thing:) *clutches wallet nervously*

Yay! :)

[iamashamed.livejournal.com]

Yay, it sounds like you had a great time. And yeah, meeting internet people is brave!:D

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

It was nerve wracking the first time, but this time I had already met some of them at a book signing, so it was less scary. But yeah, not the kind of thing I usually do, but SO worth it.

<3

[azurelunatic]

Every account of this makes it sound more and more fun!

[vandulocity.livejournal.com]

MASSIVE MARMFISH YAY :D
Also, next time we all meet up we need to attempt the Harry Potter Drinking Game of Inappropriateness. Yes.

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

YAAAAAAAAAY!

\o/

Oh GOD, it would have to be somewhere soft to pass out in, away from polite society...

[khasael.livejournal.com]

Each of these posts makes me despair of my non-UK-ness. Or something (forgive me, I did not get much sleep).

I know what you mean about the feeling of being *in* the fandom with MF. There are a few fandoms I lurk around the edges of (Top Gear and Lost, and a bit of HP), but this is the first I've ever been immersed in, and a regular part of. Basically, what Isi said.

And happy birthday to your journal!

[eternal-vows.livejournal.com]

Six years from now, I will go to Hannah's house and stay there and I will eat many baked English delights, and maybe I will be there for a MF picnic. :) But, you know, Hannah could always be going through things and not appreciate a freeloader who gawks at pretty flowers.

I WANT TO TELEPORT TO ENGERLANDDDD NOW :<

[kaiserkuchen.livejournal.com]

FANDOM MEETUPS AHHH SO JEALOUS ♥ Looks like a sparkling time was had by all, ahhh I am all vicariously thrilled just by looking at the pictures, too ♥

Hahhhh but I am also normally a Very Bad Fangirl, because A) I also lurk like fuck and B) I have intensely slow output re:fannish creativeness, because I have become so used to just reading and looking at other people's stuff that it is v. hard to motivate oneself suddenly (AND OKAY I HAD NO TIME THIS SUMMER AHHH INTERNSHIP <-- sad but true excuse lol fail)

AND HAPPY LJ-VERSARY TO YOUUUUU! Mine is like nigh on existence for 5 years now lol and so many of them are probably filled with v. insipid entries ahh well :DD TO MANY MORE YEARS WITH LJ AND LJ-CAUSED FRIENDSHIPSSSS (-> ONE THING I WILL ALWAYS BE SUPERDUPER GRATEFUL TO RBR FOR)

EDIT: FOR SLIGHTLY MORE UNDERSTANDABLE ENGLISH jesus christballs, self!

WE NEED TO GET ON THIS. WHERE IS A MAD SCIENTIST WHEN YOU NEED ONE?!

[laliandra.livejournal.com]

Seriously though, you should come next time! There are people who would put you up...

Lurking like fuck has its advantages! But sometimes it is fun to be active, too. Poor Kazamatz, it really sounds like it's been a manic-panic summer for you *huggles*

Thank you! I am actually meaning to do a whole entry about my LJ-varsary at some point! AND YES, THANK YOU RBR! You had better text me AS SOON AS you can, missy, or I will be Put Out.

:D