More June Fandom Questions

[chelseagirl]

Day 3: What's a favorite, or at least memorable fandom meeting/interaction that you've had?

I've been fortunate enough to meet some great friends through fandom, whether I eventually met them in real life, or whether they've remained online friends.

Three years ago, I met up with some friends who flew over from the UK to visit the hometown and grave of an actor from Alias Smith & Jones, near Rochester, NY. Two of them had been fans of my fic for years before we met online, and we still have a regular chat on Messenger, talking mostly about our real lives now. The others were their friends. It sounds morbid, but it was really sweet. Since my parents (Dad was still alive then) live not very far away, I visited my family first and then met up with them. When we went to visit the grave, just by chance we met the late actor's (long late -- he died in the early 70s and was quite young) sister, her husband/partner, and a cousin. They were so delighted that my friends cared enough to come all the way from England and Wales, enough so that the sister left a lovely note and this year the cousin reposted a picture of us she'd taken that day to FB, with a message that the sister sent her love.

I also, at my first and so far only NY Comic Con, the autumn before the pandemic hit, decided to wait online to get Christopher Eccleston's autograph for M. Eccleston hadn't been on the con circuit at all and this was, I think, his first one. He'd recently come out about his struggles with mental illness, and I thanked him for his openness and told him that the signature was for my partner, who is bipolar and we had just the loveliest chat. He has such lovely blue eyes. I will also never spend that much on an autograph ever again, and wow, he charged waaaaaay less than the Marvel stars who were there. But I'm glad I did it.

Day 4: What are the origins of your penname/username?

I lived in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan for 22 years, during the heyday of LiveJournal and etc. The tribute to Andy Warhol's The Chelsea Girls was very much intended. Also, M and I spent our wedding night at the Chelsea Hotel, since we had visitors from England for the wedding and never actually went on a honeymoon.

Comments

[lunabee34]

That sounds like a lovely encounter that meant a lot to his family.

[chelseagirl]

They are so lovely!

However, the actor's brother and the brother's wife are active in the online fandom and they have been, erm, divisive.

[lunabee34]

Well, that's a shame. :(

[kore]

Aww, that was all so sweet! and then I hit

spent our wedding night at the Chelsea Hotel

OMFG REALLY? WHAT WAS IT LIKE

[chelseagirl]

It was nice. I'd spent the night before the ceremony there, too, and M stayed at our apartment. It was a large room, a bit shabby but genuine, if you know what I mean -- not motel-like, but solid old construction, eclectic furnishings. Actually not that different from the deco-era studio apartment we were living in at the time. Great art in the hallways -- I was on an upper floor, and I made a point of walking down all the flights so I could see each one.

This was about 18 years ago, so it was post-artists and punk rockers passing out in the hallways but pre-renovations. Semi-gentrified.

[trepkos]

How amazing to meet the actors' relatives!

[chelseagirl]

They were really sweet. And so excited that my friends had come from so far away.

[scripsi]

What lovely memories!

[chelseagirl]

Thanks!